Methods and apparatus for returning items via a tote delivery service

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus for managing tote deliveries by a tote delivery service. The tote delivery service directs delivery of items ordered by customers via a network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on upcoming tote delivery days. The totes are reusable totes configured to be delivered from a delivery facility to delivery addresses on tote delivery days and picked up from the delivery addresses on subsequent tote delivery days. The network site may allow the customers to place items into totes to be returned to the delivery facility; the totes are picked up and returned to the facility, where the returned items are removed and processed, for example to be placed into to inventory or returned to a vendor or manufacturer.

BACKGROUND

Manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, distribution centers, and otherdistributors of product or goods (which may collectively be referred toas distributors) typically maintain an inventory of various items thatmay be ordered by and shipped to clients or customers. This inventorymay be maintained and processed at a materials handling facility orfacilities such as distribution centers, cross-docking facilities, andorder fulfillment facilities. FIG. 1 illustrates a broad view of theoperations of a conventional distributor. Multiple customers 10 maysubmit orders 20 to the distributor, where each order 20 specifies oneor more items from inventory 30 to be shipped to the customer thatsubmitted the order. At order fulfillment 40, the orders may beseparately processed by the enterprise to fulfill the customer orders20. The one or more items specified in each order may be retrieved or“picked” from inventory 30 in the materials handling facility. Thepicked orders may then be packed and shipped 50 to the customers 10.Note that a shipped order does not necessarily include all of the itemsordered by the customer; a shipped order may include only a subset ofthe ordered items available to ship at one time from oneinventory-storing location. Typically, the customer is billed for theitems(s) in the order and for charges related to shipping the order tothe customer.

The increasing scope of network-based commerce, fueled by the ubiquityof personal computers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web, hasresulted in striking changes to the ways customers may shop for andpurchase products from distributors. Virtual storefronts, which may bereferred to as network sites or web sites, in which customers may viewproduct information including features, specifications, appearance,pricing, availability, have become commonplace even among wholesalersand retailers who have maintained physical customer presences (e.g.,“brick-and-mortar” storefronts). Much commerce is already beingconducted exclusively through network sites by product distributorslacking any other customer presence. Electronic commerce using virtualstorefronts may offer many advantages, such as lower cost overhead(e.g., due to lack of sales personnel, lack of physical storefronts,highly automated ordering processes, etc.), and a potential customerbase limited only by the reach of the Internet. A product distributorthat provides a “storefront” for customers exclusively through a networksite, or the portion of a product distributor that provides a networksite for customers while the distributor maintains physical customerpresences, may be referred to as a network enterprise.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example conventional network enterprise thatprovides a “virtual storefront” to customers via a network site.Multiple customers 110, through access to the Internet 100, may orderone or more items from the network enterprise 102 via a network site 104serving as a “virtual storefront” for the product distributor. Thenetwork site 104 may generate orders 120 for the customers, where eachorder 20 specifies one or more items from inventory 130 to be shipped tothe customer that submitted the order. The orders may be processed 140by the product distributor to fulfill the customer orders 120. The oneor more items specified in each order may be retrieved or “picked” frominventory 130 in a materials handling facility. The picked orders maythen be packed and shipped 150 to the customers 110. Typically, eachindividual customer order is separately picked, sorted, packed, andshipped. Typically, the customer is separately billed 106 for theitems(s) in each separate order and for charges related to shipping eachorder to the customer.

In conventional order fulfillment systems, the items in an order aregenerally packed and shipped in cardboard boxes, shipping envelopes, orother such shipping materials, and often contain filler materials suchas Styrofoam “peanuts” or bubble wrap. After receiving an order, thecustomer must open the package(s) and dispose of the packaging, forexample by breaking down and disposing of the boxes, throwing away thefiller materials, and so on.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a broad view of the operation of a conventionaldistributor.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example conventional network enterprise thatprovides a “virtual storefront” to customers via a network site.

FIG. 3 is a high-level flowchart of a method for implementing a totedelivery service according to at least some embodiments.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example reusable tote according to at least someembodiments.

FIG. 4B illustrates a tote placed in a receptacle for tote deliveryaccording to at least some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example tote delivery service accordingto at least some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of placing an item into a tote order via a toteordering pipeline, according to at least some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of placing an item into a tote order using asingle-action user interface element, according to at least someembodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example web page of a network site that providesone or more tote delivery service UI elements, according to someembodiments.

FIGS. 9A through 9D illustrates example web pages that provideinformation about example embodiments of the tote delivery service,according to some embodiments.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example web page via which a customer may sign into the tote delivery service, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example web page via which a customer may confirmthat an item is to be placed in a pending tote order, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example web page that confirms that a tote orderhas been placed by the customer, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example item detail page that may be presented toa customer that is not subscribed to a subscription-based shippingprogram provided by the network enterprise, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example item detail page that may be presented toa customer that is subscribed to a subscription-based shipping programprovided by the network enterprise, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example tote management page that may bepresented to a customer according to some embodiments.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example tote return page that may be presented toa customer according to some embodiments.

FIG. 17 illustrates the physical layout and operations of an examplefulfillment center when fulfilling a bulk transfer order, according tosome embodiments.

FIG. 18 illustrates operations of an example tote delivery servicesortation node, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of back end operations for a tote deliveryservice, according to at least some embodiments.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating an example computer system thatmay be used in at least some embodiments.

While embodiments are described herein by way of example for severalembodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art willrecognize that embodiments are not limited to the embodiments ordrawings described. It should be understood, that the drawings anddetailed description thereto are not intended to limit embodiments tothe particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within thespirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings usedherein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be usedto limit the scope of the description or the claims. As used throughoutthis application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e.,meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e.,meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and“includes” mean including, but not limited to.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments of methods and apparatus for product ordering anddelivery that provide consolidated customer deliveries of items orderedvia a network site are described. The methods and apparatus for productordering and delivery may use reusable totes to deliver items orderedfrom a network enterprise to customers' delivery addresses. The methodsand apparatus may collectively be referred to as a tote deliveryservice. Instead of sending customers separate boxed or otherwisepackaged shipments for each order they place via the network site,embodiments of the tote delivery service may allow customers of anetwork enterprise to easily consolidate their orders into standingperiodic (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly) deliveries in reusable containers,which may be referred to as totes. In at least some embodiments, thereusable totes may be returned to the network enterprise for reuse. Inat least some embodiments, the reusable totes may be kept by thecustomers.

In an example implementation of the tote delivery service by a networkenterprise, the tote delivery service may be promoted as a free, fast,and “green” delivery program for at least some items that uses reusabletotes and that thus reduces or eliminates the delivery of individualorders in cardboard boxes or other packaging materials that requirebreaking down, recycling, or trashing by the customer. In at least someembodiments, customers may be required to have an account with thenetwork enterprise to use the tote delivery service. In someembodiments, the customers may be required to sign up for or subscribeto the tote delivery service to place orders to be delivered by tote. Inother embodiments, the customers may not be required to sign up for orsubscribe to the tote delivery service; the tote delivery service may bemade available to some or all customers of the network enterprisewithout requiring the customers to specifically subscribe to receive theservice. In at least some embodiments, customers may be required to signin (e.g., by entering a password) to use the tote delivery service whenplacing an item in a tote order.

In some embodiments, each customer is assigned a pre-defined totedelivery day according to a zone that the customer's delivery address isin, where each zone corresponds to a day of the week (e.g., Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.) on which deliveries are made to that zone. Thezones may, for example, be based on the zip codes of the deliveryaddresses. Thus, in at least some embodiments, a customer may provide adelivery address (or just a zip code) to view the customer'scorresponding tote delivery day, or the customer's tote delivery day mayautomatically be displayed for the customer on a user interface based onthe customer's delivery address. Note that two or more zones may havethe same day of the week as the zone delivery day, and that some zones,or at least some customers in at least some zones, may have more thanone delivery day in a week. Furthermore, a customer may have more thanone delivery address, and thus may have more than one tote delivery day.In some embodiments, instead of assigning pre-defined tote delivery daysto all customers, at least some customers may be allowed to select apreferred tote delivery day or delivery days, possibly with somerestrictions (e.g., a customer may pick between Monday and Friday). Insome embodiments, at least some customers may be provided with multiple,for example two, tote delivery days per week (e.g., Tuesday and Friday)to a given delivery address. For example, some customers may be membersin a subscription-based shipping program in which the customer pays afixed periodic fee that covers all regular conventional shipping costsfor that period, and/or that provides reduced shipping costs for thatperiod; these customers may be given two tote delivery days per week,instead of one tote delivery day per week, as an added benefit of beingmembers of the subscription-based shipping program.

After a customer signs up for the tote delivery service, tote deliverymay be presented as an option on at least some item detail pages of thenetwork site user interface for the customer, for example as asingle-action user interface element (e.g., a button). In addition, totedelivery may be presented as an option in the order pipeline userinterface. Other shipping options, for example a next-day shippingoption and a two-day shipping option, may also be presented to thecustomer on these or other web pages of the network site. In someembodiments, any eligible item offered via the network site may be addedby a customer to the customer's virtual tote up to a specified cutoff(e.g., two days) before the customer's tote delivery day (or days). Insome embodiments, the cutoff may be firm; in other words, the customermust order an item for tote delivery prior to the cutoff for a giventote delivery in order for the item to be included in the customer'stote order for that delivery. In some embodiments, the cutoff may beflexible for at least some customers and for at least some items; thatis, an item ordered for tote delivery after the cutoff for a given totedelivery may be included in the customer's tote order for that deliveryif possible. Some items offered via the network site may not be eligiblefor tote delivery; for example, some items may be too large or too heavyfor tote delivery. Other types of shipments may be seamlessly deliveredto customers via the tote delivery service. In some embodiments, rentalitems, such as video games, DVDs, Blu-Ray discs, tools, and so on, maybe delivered via the tote delivery service. In some embodiments, thecustomer may choose, via the user interface, to have pre-ordered itemsand back-ordered items delivered via the tote delivery service. Thenetwork site system may automatically add these pre-ordered items andback-ordered items to a soonest feasible tote delivery day, if thecustomer so chooses.

At least some network enterprises may not necessarily need to create neworder fulfillment facilities to offer the tote delivery service; thetote delivery service may be integrated into existing facilities.However, at least some network enterprises may need to add sortationnode and tote delivery capabilities into their existing orderfulfillment network. In some implementations of the tote deliveryservice, inventory may reside in the order fulfillment network as inconventional order fulfillment networks. In some embodiments, underdirection of the network enterprise logic, at least some items orderedto be delivered via the tote delivery service by customers in a givencity may be bulk picked at one or more fulfillment centers in the orderfulfillment network and bulk transferred within the order fulfillmentnetwork to sortation nodes that manage deliveries for respective citiesor regions. A bulk pick for and bulk transfer to a particular sortationnode may be performed one or more times in a given day at a givenfulfillment center, but are not necessarily performed every day. Alsonote that items bulk picked on a given day are not necessarily bulktransferred on the same day. In some embodiments, in addition to bulktransferring items from fulfillment centers in the order fulfillmentnetwork to a sortation node, some items may be transferred directly fromone or more vendors to a sortation node under direction of the networkenterprise logic to fulfill tote delivery service deliveries.

The sortation nodes may be implemented in fulfillment centers, smaller,forward-deployed fulfillment centers, or even as stand-alone “deliverydepots.” A sortation node may be a node in the network enterprise'sorder fulfillment network that is owned and operated by the networkenterprise. Alternatively, a sortation node may be owned and/or operatedby another entity, such as a local carrier or delivery company that ownsand/or operates the tote delivery vehicles. At each sortation node, thebulk-picked items, received in bulk transfers from one or morefulfillment centers, may be rebinned into customer totes, which may insome embodiments be on rolling racks pre-assigned to specific zip codes.On (or before) the scheduled tote delivery day, the totes for that totedelivery day may be loaded onto appropriate delivery vehicles fordelivery. For example, the racks of totes for that tote delivery day maybe rolled onto the appropriate delivery vehicles for delivery. Each ofone or more delivery zones served by the sortation node (e.g., each zipcode) may be given a common day-of-week promise (e.g., “deliveredWednesdays before 6 pm”), ensuring high delivery densities on eachroute; different ones of the zones served by a sortation node may begiven different tote delivery days. In some embodiments, one or morezones served by a sortation node may be given more than one totedelivery day per week.

At each address to which a tote order is to be delivered on a totedelivery run, the driver drops the tote or totes including items to bedelivered via the tote delivery service on the tote delivery day andretrieves any return totes, which may, but do not necessarily, includereturned items from the customers. In some embodiments, two or more totedelivery runs may be made to a given zone on a given tote delivery dayat different time slots, for example a morning tote delivery run and anevening tote delivery run, or a “before 9 am” delivery run, a “before 1pm” delivery run, and an “after 6 pm” delivery run. In theseembodiments, individual customers may be assigned a particular time sloton a tote delivery day, or alternatively a customer may specify whichtime slot on the tote delivery day that the customer wants to receivethe tote delivery for that day. In embodiments where the customerspecifies which time slot of two or more time slots on a tote deliveryday that the customer prefers, the specification may be made as adefault for the customer and/or may be made on a tote-by-tote basis. Forexample, when the customer confirms a tote delivery, or alternativelyvia a tote management page, the user may be provided with an option asto which time slot the customer prefers for a tote delivery, in additionto which tote delivery day the customer wants the tote delivered on andwhich tote deliver address the customer wants the tote delivered to (ifthe customer has multiple delivery addresses).

In some embodiments, it may be required that a person be present at atote delivery address to receive a tote order at the time the tote orderis delivered for the delivery service to leave the tote(s) at thedelivery address. In some embodiments, the delivery service may leavetotes “on the doorstep” at unattended delivery addresses or leave totes“on the doorstep” without a person receiving the tote order directly. Insome embodiments, the user interface may allow a customer to specify,for a given tote order, whether the customer will allow the tote orderto be left “on the doorstep” at the delivery address without a personreceiving the tote order directly, or alternatively may allow thecustomer to specify, for a given tote order, that the customer wants thetote order to be received by a person at the delivery address. In someembodiments, the user interface may allow the customer to specify whichperson(s) are allowed to receive a tote order.

From the customer perspective, embodiments of the tote delivery servicemay provide low-cost or free, relatively fast shipping with lesscardboard and other packaging materials to throw away or recycle. Inexchange for fast, low-cost or free, “greener” (more environmentallyfriendly) shipping, customers may choose to aggregate their orders fromthe network enterprise into fewer deliveries to their home or otherdelivery address. In addition, the tote delivery service and the userinterface to the tote delivery service may provide a tote-centric viewto the customer of the items the customer orders at different times fromthe network enterprise, rather than a shipment or order-centric view ofthe customer's orders as is provided by conventional systems. Inconventional, order-centric systems, the customer may place orders forone or more different items at different times, with an order generated,and shipped, for each item or items ordered at a given time. In the totedelivery service, the customer may place different items, at differenttimes, into the same tote (or into different totes). A given totescheduled for delivery to a particular delivery address on a particulartote delivery day may be viewed (and processed, by the tote deliveryservice) as a single tote order, even though different items in the totemay have been placed into the tote at different times that are hours,days, weeks, or even longer apart, and even though different items inthe tote may have been placed into the tote by different customers thatshare the same delivery address. In some embodiments, a tote order isgiven a single tote order number for tracking the tote order, even ifthe tote order includes multiple items added to the tote at differenttimes, in different customer sessions, or by different customers. Thus,the tote delivery service may allow customers to consolidate what wouldbe processed as many separate orders using conventional systems, eachrequiring separate shipping, handling, and paperwork, into a single,consolidated tote order. Note that, while a customer may be presentedwith a single virtual tote into which the customer places items for agiven tote order, the tote order may be delivered to the customer'sdelivery address in one, two or more physical totes.

As an example of the tote-centric view, the customer may request that aback-ordered or pre-ordered item be delivered via the tote deliveryservice. The back-ordered or pre-ordered item may then be displayed in avirtual tote to be delivered on a future tote delivery day, for exampleon a tote management page 1100 as illustrated in FIG. 15. This may makeit easier for the customer to keep track of items that the customer hasordered than in conventional, order-centric systems, as the customer canbrowse through future scheduled tote deliveries to view what items thecustomer has pending to be delivered and when the items are scheduled tobe delivered via the tote delivery service, rather than the customerhaving to go back through past orders to try and figure out what itemsthe customer has pending for delivery as in conventional, order-centricsystems.

In addition, in some embodiments, by virtue of the use of localsortation nodes in the tote delivery service, customers may be allowedto cancel items in totes or cancel entire tote orders much later thancan be done for orders being shipped by conventional shipping methods,up to the tote delivery day. For example, if a customer's scheduled totedelivery time is 6 pm, the customer may be allowed to cancel part or allof the tote order up until noon on the tote delivery day. This providesmore flexibility to the customers in regards to managing and schedulingtheir tote deliveries than is provided by conventional ordering andshipping methods.

From the network enterprise perspective, embodiments of the totedelivery service may provide a competitively advantageous deliveryoption and an enterprise-wide platform for product delivery. With thepossible realization of the efficiency of higher units per shipment thatmay result from an implementation of the product ordering and deliverymethod, a network enterprise may justify operating its own last-miledelivery system while offering lower-cost or even free delivery tocustomers via the reusable totes.

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service may provide auser interface to a network enterprise system that enables customers tomanage their tote deliveries. The tote management user interface mayallow the customer to specify tote delivery for items ordered from thenetwork enterprise. The tote management user interface may also providea display of virtual totes scheduled for delivery on future totedelivery days. The tote management user interface may also allowcustomers to view their tote delivery history so that the customers canreview the content of previous totes that have already been delivered.Via at least some embodiments of the tote management user interface, thecustomer may, for example, view what items are scheduled to be deliveredin which totes, add items to particular totes to be delivered to thecustomer's shipping address (or shipping addresses) on particular totedelivery days, change the quantity of a particular item in a tote (e.g.,specify that two of a given item are to be delivered in the tote insteadof one), remove items from totes, move an item from one tote to anothertote, copy an item from one tote (either a previously delivered tote oran upcoming tote) to another tote, replicate previously delivered orupcoming totes to one or more upcoming tote delivery days, and scheduleperiodic deliveries (e.g., monthly deliveries) of particular items to bedelivered in totes. In addition, in at least some embodiments, thecustomer may specify, via the user interface, that back-ordered orpre-ordered items are to be delivered by tote. In some embodiments, thetote management user interface may be used to view the projected futuretote shipping days for such items as scheduled delivery items,back-ordered items, and pre-ordered items. In some embodiments, the totemanagement user interface may allow a customer to manage a totecalendar, for example to schedule vacations or other times when thecustomer's tote delivery is to be temporarily suspended. Items that werepreviously scheduled for tote delivery during such a period may beautomatically rescheduled for tote delivery after the period.

In some embodiments, a single customer may have multiple shippingaddresses to which items may be delivered, and thus may, but does notnecessarily have multiple scheduled delivery days, with different daysfor the different addresses. For example, a customer may have a homeshipping address and a business shipping address, and these twoaddresses may be in different zip codes and thus may, but do notnecessarily, have different scheduled tote delivery days. Furthermore,in some embodiments, a customer may have other people's shippingaddresses listed for deliveries. For example, a customer may have his orher parents' address, his child's address, and so on. Thus, someembodiments may allow a customer to use the tote delivery service todeliver items to other people's shipping addresses, as long as the otherpeople's addresses are listed as shipping addresses for the customer andtote delivery is available to those addresses. In some embodiments, twoor more customers that share the same tote delivery address may beallowed to consolidate items that the customers separately order into asingle tote order to be delivered to the shared address.

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service may provide totedelivery as one shipping option among two or more alternative shippingoptions. For example, the network enterprise may provide, via the userinterface, a next-day shipping option, a two-day shipping option, and atote delivery shipping option. Providing alternative shipping optionsmay, for example, allow the customer to receive items that are needed assoon as possible via a faster, conventional direct shipping option,while scheduling items for which the need is not so pressing for futuredelivery by tote on upcoming tote delivery days.

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service may providereusable containers (totes) that can be returned by the customer to thenetwork enterprise for re-use. In at least some embodiments, a customermay place one or more items to be returned to the network enterprise ina tote to be returned. The user interface may provide one or more userinterface elements whereby the customer can inform the networkenterprise that the item(s) are being returned on a given tote delivery(and pickup) day. Using this ability to easily return items to thenetwork enterprise in the reusable totes, at least some embodiments mayenable “order bracketing” where the customer can order, for example,three pairs of the same shoe in different sizes, or three of the sameitem in different colors, and return the items (e.g., the pairs of shoesthat don't fit, or the items that aren't the desired color) that thecustomer decides not to keep. In some embodiments, only items that werepreviously delivered via the tote delivery service may be returned viathe tote delivery service. However, in some embodiments, items that areshipped according to other shipping methods may also be returned to thenetwork enterprise via the tote delivery service. In addition, in someembodiments, other items than return items may be delivered from acustomer to the network enterprise, or to other entities, via returnedtotes. For example, in various implementations, video game rentals,DVD/Blu-Ray Disc rentals, exchanges, items for repair, items being sentto the network enterprise for credit or resale, and so on may bedelivered from a customer to the network enterprise or to some otherentity via return totes and the tote delivery service. Also note that,in at least some embodiments, at least some items delivered to customersvia the tote delivery service may be returned by other return methodsthan in return totes.

In some embodiments, return totes may be used to deliver inventory fromother entities, such as merchants or sellers, to the network enterprise.For example, a merchant or seller may provide one or more differentitems to the network enterprise that may be placed into the networkenterprise's inventory, in some cases for sale via the network site. Thetote delivery service may be provided to an address of the merchant orseller. The merchant or seller may place items to be delivered to thenetwork enterprise into a return tote that is picked up and delivered toa sortation node on a tote delivery run.

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service may providerecommendations and reminders to the customer via the user interface tothe network site and/or via alternative communications channels such asemail and text messaging. The network enterprise logic may examine acustomer's purchasing history and/or tote contents and, based on thatexamination, determine items that the customer may wish to havedelivered via the tote delivery service. The network enterprise logicmay then provide a recommendation to the customer to that effect. Thereminders may, for example, let the customer know which tote days thecustomer should expect a tote to be placed on their doorstep, what thecutoff day is for placing items into (or removing items from) a giventote, and what will be delivered in the totes on those tote days. Viathe recommendations and reminders, a customer may, for example, beprompted to wait for a scheduled delivery of an item via tote, or add anitem to a tote, rather than making a trip to the store to pick up theitem. As another example, a customer may be prompted to suggest that thecustomer consolidate items ordered via other shipping options (forexample, items in a virtual “shopping cart”) into an upcoming toteorder.

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service may implement anorder fulfillment and consolidation method and system in which itemsfrom customers to be delivered on a given tote day are picked from oneor more fulfillment centers and bulk-transferred to stations that arelocal to tote delivery zones. These stations may be referred to assortation nodes. A sortation node receives the bulk transfers from oneor more fulfillment centers and sorts the items into reusable totesaccording to one or more tote delivery zones scheduled for an upcomingtote delivery run. The totes for a respective tote delivery zone maythen be loaded onto delivery vehicles, which then make the delivery runsto the respective tote delivery zones. The tote delivery vehiclepersonnel may drop off totes containing items to addresses in therespective zones, and may pick up empty totes (and totes with items tobe returned, if any) from the addresses in the respective delivery zonesto be returned to the sortation node. If there are any items in thereturned totes, the items may be removed from the totes and eitherre-stocked locally or returned to an appropriate fulfillment center(e.g., in bulk return transfers) for re-stocking or other processing(e.g., return to the manufacturer). In some embodiments, items inreturned totes may be otherwise processed; for example, items to beexchanged, items to be repaired, and rental items may be returned intotes, and may be removed from the totes and appropriately processed.

FIG. 3 is a high-level flowchart of a method for implementing a totedelivery service according to at least some embodiments. As indicated at200, a customer adds one or more items to a virtual tote for aparticular delivery address and a particular delivery day via a userinterface to the network site. The customer, via the user interface, mayeffectively place one or more items offered through the network site inthe virtual tote to be delivered as a consolidated tote order to aspecified address on an indicated tote delivery day (e.g., Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.) for a tote delivery zone (e.g., determined byzip code) that includes the specified address. The customer maysubsequently add other items to the virtual tote, change the quantity ofa given item in a tote, or remove items from the virtual tote, up to thecutoff time for the respective tote delivery day. In at least someembodiments, a customer may generate a tote order for a given totedelivery day by other methods, for example by duplicating another toteor by scheduling regular, recurring tote deliveries. FIGS. 8 through 16illustrate examples of various user interface screens and user interfaceelements that may be provided to customers in at least some embodimentsand that allow the customers to add items to totes, manage totes, andperform other functions related to the tote delivery service.

As indicated at 202 of FIG. 3, the one or more items in the tote orderare placed into a physical, reusable tote at a respective sortation nodeprior to the delivery run to the customer's delivery zone on the giventote delivery day. In some cases, a tote order may require two or morephysical totes to hold all of the items in the order. Prior to thescheduled tote delivery, the items that the customer has specified fordelivery on the customer's tote delivery day may be picked (along withitems ordered by other customers) and, at the sortation node, sortedinto a tote or totes to be delivered to the customer's specifiedaddress. FIG. 4A illustrates an example reusable tote according to atleast some embodiments. FIG. 18 illustrates operations of an examplesortation node, according to at least some embodiments.

As indicated at 204 of FIG. 3, the customer's tote(s) may then be loadedonto a delivery vehicle at the sortation node, along with other totes tobe delivered to other addresses in the tote delivery zone. As indicatedat 206, the customer's tote(s) is delivered to and dropped off at thespecified customer address on the tote delivery day for the totedelivery zone. The customer (or someone else at the address) may thenretrieve the tote(s), remove the item(s) from the tote(s), and place theempty tote(s) in an appropriate location (e.g., “on the doorstep”) to bepicked up on a subsequent tote delivery day for that tote delivery zone.In at least some embodiments, if the customer has an item or items to bereturned to the network enterprise, the customer may place the item oritems in a tote to be picked up, and place the tote in an appropriatelocation for pickup on a subsequent tote delivery day. At least someembodiments may provide one or more methods whereby the customer mayinform the network enterprise that the item(s) are being returned bytote.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example physical, reusable tote according to atleast some embodiments. The reusable tote 250 shown in this Figure isgiven as an example, and is not intended to be limiting. In someembodiments, each customer, or each customer address, may have at leastone permanently or semi-permanently assigned tote 250. In otherembodiments, any randomly selected tote 250 may be temporarily assignedto delivery addresses at the sortation nodes, e.g. for one delivery run.Various sizes, shapes, materials, colors, and configurations of totesare possible and contemplated. A tote 250 may be a rectangular box withsubstantially rigid sides, a bag with substantially flexible sides, orsome other configuration. A tote 250 may be composed at least in part ofa substantially durable material or materials to facilitate reuse. Insome embodiments, the tote may be composed of a weather-resistantmaterial or materials. Any appropriate substantially durable and/orweather-resistant material (e.g., plastic, metal, cloth, durablecardboard, etc.) may be used. At least some of the material(s) of whichthe tote 250 is composed may be recyclable so that damaged or worn-outtotes 250 may be recycled. A tote 250 may be a solid color or patterned;any desired color or color palette may be used. A tote 250 may provide aresealable opening or “lid” 256 via which items may be placed into andremoved from the tote 250. In some embodiments, the lid 256 may belockable or otherwise securable. A tote 250 may include one or morehandles (not shown) via which the tote 250 may be picked up and carried.

A tote 250 may include a logo and/or other information 254, displayed onor attached to one or more surfaces of the tote, identifying or relatedto the network enterprise and/or the tote delivery service, such as aname, telephone number, web address, email address, instructions, returnpolicies, and so on. In some embodiments, a tote 250 may include otheridentifying information or marks, such as information identifying a zonethat the tote 250 is delivered to, or information identifying aparticular sortation node that the tote 250 belongs to. In someembodiments, a tote 250 may include or display one or moreadvertisements for the network service or for other entities (e.g., thenetwork service or tote delivery service may sell advertising space onthe totes to other entities). While FIG. 4A shows information 254 asbeing displayed on at least one outside surface of the tote 250, in someembodiments, at least a portion of information 254 may be displayed onor attached to at least one inside surface of the tote 250 rather than,or in addition to, being displayed on or attached to the outsidesurface.

A tote 250 may, but does not necessarily, include a tote deliveryindicator 252 that may identify at least a delivery address for theparticular tote 250 to the delivery personnel and/or to sortation nodepersonnel or automated sorting devices. Tote delivery indicator 252 may,for example, be a printed label that is permanently affixed to the tote250, or a removable printed label. While FIG. 4A shows tote deliveryindicator 252 as being attached to an outside surface of tote 250, insome embodiments, tote delivery indicator 252 may be otherwise attached.For example, in some embodiments, tote delivery indicator 252 may be atag that may be attached to and removed from the tote; for example, thetag may be similar to a luggage tag that can be attached to a handle oftote 250. In some embodiments, tote delivery indicator 252 may be aradio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, or other type of electronictag, that delivery personnel and/or sortation node personnel orautomated sorting devices may scan, e.g. using a hand-held scanner, toidentify at least the delivery address for the tote 250. In someembodiments, an electronic tag may be programmable at the sortation nodeso that the delivery address (or other information) indicated by the tagon a given tote 250 may be changed at the sortation node if and whennecessary. In some embodiments, tote delivery indicator 252 may includeor may be a bar code that may be programmed to indicate the particulartote delivery and that may be scanned by tote delivery personnel and/orsortation node personnel or automated sorting devices.

In some embodiments, totes 250 do not include an indicator 252. Forexample, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, in some embodiments, totes 250 maybe placed into receptacles 260, such as open-top bins, at a sortationnode, and the receptacles, including the totes 250, may be loaded intodelivery vehicles. Instead of using indicators 252 on the totes 250, thereceptacles 260into which the totes 250 are placed may each include atote delivery indicator 262 similar to tote delivery indicator 252 thatmay be used by tote delivery personnel to determine the delivery addressfor the tote(s) 250 contained therein. At a delivery address, thedelivery personnel identifies the corresponding receptacle 260 for thataddress, removes the tote 250 or totes 250 from the receptacle 260, anddrops off the tote(s) 250.

In some embodiments, the reusable totes 250 may be returned to thenetwork enterprise for reuse. In some embodiments, the reusable totes250 may be kept by the customers. In some embodiments, the customers mayeither return or keep a tote 250. In some embodiments, at least somecustomers may be charged a nominal fee or deposit for each tote 250. Insome embodiments, this tote fee or deposit may be refunded to thecustomer upon return of a tote 250.

In some embodiments, the network enterprise may provide special ordifferent tote bags to at least some customers. For example, seasonaltotes and/or holiday totes that are patterned, colored, or otherwisedecorated to indicate a season, holiday, or other occasion may beprovided. As another example, the network enterprise may provide a“giftwrap” service via which totes may be gift wrapped or otherwisedecorated for delivery upon a customer's request, possibly for a fee. Asanother example, the network enterprise may provide deluxe totes to somecustomers, possibly for an upgrade fee. As another example, in someembodiments, customers that are members in a subscription-based shippingprogram may be provided with different totes than those provided tonon-subscribed customers.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example tote delivery service accordingto at least some embodiments. This Figure shows both data flow andproduct flow within an example tote delivery service. The tote deliveryservice may be viewed as comprising two major components or subsystems—afront end 300 that provides tote ordering and virtual tote management tocustomers via a user interface 320 to network enterprise logic 330, anda back end 302 that provides tote order consolidation and delivery tocustomers under the direction of network enterprise logic 330. In atleast some embodiments, the back end 302 may also provide a returnservice via the tote delivery service whereby customers may return ordeliver items to the network service or to other entities, includingmethods for refunding customers for items returned in totes, providingcredit for used items delivered via return tote for resale, and so on.

Network enterprise logic 330 may be implemented on one or more computersystems, such as server computers. FIG. 20 illustrates an examplecomputer system that may be used to implement enterprise logic 330 orcomponents thereof. Referring to FIG. 5, enterprise logic 330 may storetote delivery data 336 in a data store 334. Tote delivery data 336 mayinclude, but is not limited to, records of items previously delivered toparticular customers via the tote delivery service and records of itemsto be delivered to particular customers via the tote delivery service.Data store 334 may also store other information that may be used by thenetwork enterprise logic during front end and/or back end operations,including one or more of, but not limited to, product information thatdescribes the items that the network enterprise offers for sale, orderinformation for other types of orders than tote delivery orders,inventory information that indicates the quantities and locations of thenetwork enterprise's inventory within the order fulfillment network,user interface elements such as web pages, and customer accountinformation that includes customers' names, addresses, billinginformation, and so on. Data store 334 may be implemented as or on oneor more storage devices configured independently or as a storage system.In general, data store 334 may be implemented as one or more of any typeof storage device and/or storage system suitable for storing data usedby the server systems that implement the network enterprise logic 330including, but not limited to: redundant array of inexpensive disks(RAID) devices, disk drives or arrays of disk drives such as Just aBunch Of Disks (JBOD), (used to refer to disks that are not configuredaccording to RAID), optical storage devices, tape drives, RAM disks,Storage Area Network (SAN), Network Access Storage (NAS), orcombinations thereof.

Tote delivery information 336 may, for example, be stored as or in adatabase. The database may be implemented as a single, monolithicdatabase or as a combination of two or more databases and/or data storedin other, non-database formats, such as files stored in any of variousfile formats. The database may be or may include a relational database,or may be or may include any other type of database, such as an objectoriented database, depending on implementation, or combinations thereof.In at least some embodiments, the database may include a customerdatabase configured for storing information about customers that haveaccounts for accessing the network site. In some embodiments, thedatabase may include a subscription database for storing informationabout customers that have subscribed to a subscription-based shippingprogram.

In front end 300 operations, the user interface 320 may present totedelivery user interface (UI) elements to customers 310 via internet 312,for example via web browser software on the customers' computingdevices. The customers' computing devices may include desktop computers,notebook computers, mobile devices such as cell phones or smart phones,television web platforms, or any other device capable of displaying theuser interface 320. Tote delivery service UI elements 322 may includeboth control elements (e.g., buttons, menus, text boxes, radio buttons,etc.) via which the customers 310 can provide input to the enterpriselogic 330 to manage their tote deliveries, and display elements thatdisplay tote delivery information. Tote delivery service logic 332 ofenterprise logic 330 may present tote delivery information to thecustomers 310 via tote delivery service UI elements 322 of the userinterface 320. Tote delivery service logic 332 of enterprise logic 330may also receive tote management input (e.g., customers 310 orders foritems to be delivered via the tote delivery service, customers 310modifications of the contents of scheduled tote deliveries, etc.) viauser tote delivery service UI elements 322 of user interface 320.Enterprise logic 330 may process this tote management input toappropriately modify tote delivery data 336.

In at least some embodiments, user interface 320 may also providerecommendations and reminders regarding the tote delivery service tocustomers 310, via the network site over Internet 312 or via alternativecommunications channels such as email and text messaging. To generaterecommendations and/or reminders, enterprise logic 330 may examineenterprise data in data store 334, including but not limited to totedelivery data 336. For example, enterprise logic 330 may examine acustomer's tote delivery history to determine that the customerperiodically orders a particular item, and then send a recommendation tothe customer via user interface 320 recommending that the item bescheduled for regular tote delivery. As an example of a reminder,enterprise logic 330 may examine a customer's upcoming tote orders togenerate and send reminders of one or more upcoming tote deliveries. Insome embodiments, other information than the enterprise data stored indata store 334 may be obtained and analyzed to generate recommendations.For example, data indicating consumer purchasing patterns or otherconsumer metrics may be obtained from one or more other externalsources, such as other consumer goods enterprises, consumer productproviders, and/or consumer research entities, and used in generatingrecommendations for customers.

In back end 302 operations, tote delivery service logic 332 ofenterprise logic 330 may retrieve and process tote delivery data 336 togenerate bulk transfer data 338. Bulk transfer data 338 is provided tofulfillment centers 350 of the network enterprise's order fulfillmentnetwork. In at least some embodiments, bulk transfer data 338 directsthe fulfillment centers 350 to pick from inventory and bulk-transferitems for delivery in one or more tote delivery runs to each of one ormore tote delivery zones on a specific tote delivery day at eachsortation node 360. A bulk pick for and bulk transfer to a particularsortation node 360 may be performed one or more times in a given day ata given fulfillment center 350, but are not necessarily performed everyday. Also note that items bulk picked on a given day are not necessarilybulk transferred on the same day. FIG. 17 illustrates operations of anexample fulfillment center 350 according to some embodiments. Referringto FIG. 5, note that a sortation node 360 may be, but is notnecessarily, located within a fulfillment center 350; a transfer maythus be a transfer to a sortation node 360 within a fulfillment center350, a transfer from one fulfillment center 350 to another fulfillmentcenter 350, or a transfer from a fulfillment center 350 to a stand-alonesortation node 360. A sortation node 360 may be a node in the networkenterprise's order fulfillment network that is owned and operated by thenetwork enterprise. Alternatively, a sortation node 360 may be ownedand/or operated by another entity, such as a local carrier or deliverycompany that owns and/or operates the tote delivery vehicles.

Each fulfillment center 350 may send at least one separate bulk transfer352 of items for tote delivery on the specific tote delivery day to atleast one of one or more sortation nodes 360. Note that a bulk transfermay be scheduled to arrive at a sortation node 360 before the respectivetote delivery day or, alternatively, on the tote delivery day. In someembodiments, bulk transfer data 338 may not include specific customerorder information that indicates which customer ordered what items; onlyquantities of particular items to be picked and transferred toparticular sortation nodes 360 may be described. In some embodiments, inaddition to bulk transfers from fulfillment centers 350, a sortationnode 360 may receive bulk transfers or other shipments directly from oneor more vendors or merchants that include items for tote deliveries.

Tote delivery service logic 332 may also process tote delivery data 336to generate zone delivery data 340. Zone delivery data 340 may beprovided to sortation nodes 360 of the network enterprise's orderfulfillment network. In at least some embodiments, zone delivery data340 directs the sortation nodes 360 in sorting the items received in oneor more bulk transfers 352 from fulfillment centers 350 or from othersources, on or before the respective zone delivery days, into reusabletotes for delivery to specific customer addresses 372 in specificdelivery zones 370 on respective zone tote delivery days. FIG. 18illustrates operations of an example sortation node according to someembodiments.

Referring to FIG. 5, each sortation node 360 may provide tote deliveryservice to one or more delivery zones 370. In some embodiments, deliveryzones 370 may be determined by zip code. In other embodiments, othergeographic information, or other types of information, may be used todetermine delivery zones. Generally, a sortation node 360 will deliverto multiple zones 370, with different ones of the zones 370 scheduledfor delivery on different days of the week. In some implementations, thetote delivery service may be provided every day of the week, and inother implementations the tote delivery service may not be provided onsome days (e.g., Monday through Saturday or Monday through Friday). Insome embodiments, one or more zones served by a sortation node may begiven more than one tote delivery day per week. A sortation node 360may, but does not necessarily, deliver to more than one zone 370 on agiven day. In some embodiments, for at least some zones 370, arespective sortation node 360 may deliver to at least some customers 310in the zone 370 on two or more days a week. Generally, only onesortation node 360 serves each tote delivery zone 370; however, in someimplementations, two or more sortation nodes 360 may serve the same zone370. In some embodiments, two or more tote delivery runs may be made toa given zone on a given tote delivery day at different time slots, forexample a morning tote delivery run and an evening tote delivery run. Inthese embodiments, individual customers may be assigned a particulartime slot on a tote delivery day, or alternatively a customer mayspecify which time slot on the tote delivery day that the customer wantsto receive the tote delivery.

The reusable totes containing items to be delivered to customeraddresses 372 are loaded onto one or more delivery vehicles for deliveryruns 362 to specific tote delivery zones 370. In some embodiments, thetotes may be loaded onto rolling racks, and the racks may be loaded ontothe delivery vehicles. In some embodiments, the totes may be placed intoreceptacles, such as open-top bins, and the receptacles, including thetotes, may then be loaded into the delivery vehicles, for example onmobile racks. See FIG. 4B for an example of a tote in a receptacle. Insome embodiments, the receptacles may already be in the deliveryvehicles, and the totes may be placed into the receptacles inside thedelivery vehicles. In some embodiments, one or more totes may be placedinto each receptacle. In some embodiments, the receptacles into whichthe totes are placed may each include a tote delivery indicator 262 asshown in FIG. 4B that may be used by tote delivery personnel todetermine the delivery address for the tote(s) contained therein. On adelivery run to a tote delivery zone 370, the delivery personnel on thedelivery vehicle drop each tote off at a respective customer address372. Generally, only one tote will be dropped at a given address 372;however, in some cases, more than one tote may be required to deliverall the items to be delivered on a given delivery day to a given address372. The delivery personnel may also pick up one or more previouslydelivered totes from at least some addresses 372. In some embodiments, agiven delivery vehicle may deliver to more than one zone 370 on a givendelivery run, or on a given delivery day.

A picked-up tote may be empty, or may include one or more previouslydelivered items that the respective customer is returning to the networkenterprise. In some embodiments, items that are shipped according toother shipping methods may also be returned to the network enterprisevia the tote delivery service. In some embodiments, other items thanreturn items may be delivered from a customer to the network enterprisevia returned totes. For example, in some embodiments, video gamerentals, DVD/Blu-Ray disc rentals, exchanges, items for repair, itemsbeing sent to the network enterprise for credit or resale, and so on maybe delivered from a customer to the network enterprise or to some otherentity via return totes and the tote delivery service. As anotherexample, in some embodiments, a merchant or seller may deliver items tothe network enterprise via return totes. The delivery vehicles may thenreturn the picked-up totes to the respective sortation nodes 360. At thesortation node 360, any items that are in the returned totes may beremoved and appropriately processed.

Front End Operations

In front end operations, customers may access a user interface 320 totote delivery service logic 332 of enterprise logic 330 to order itemsto be delivered according to the tote delivery service and to managetheir tote orders. Embodiments of the user interface 320 may provide oneor more methods via which a customer may place items into tote orders tobe delivered according to the tote delivery service. Some examples oftote ordering methods and tote delivery service user interfaces areprovided herein. These examples are not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 6 is a high-level flowchart of placing an item into a tote ordervia a tote ordering pipeline, according to at least some embodiments. Asindicated at 220, a customer may select the tote delivery option for anitem. For example, the customer may select the tote delivery serviceoption from an item detail page. Example item detail pages areillustrated in FIGS. 8, 13 and 14. As indicated at 222, the customer maybe prompted to sign in to the tote delivery service. In someembodiments, the customer may be required to provide at least a passwordeach time the customer wants to add an item to a tote order. FIG. 10shows an example tote delivery service sign in page that may bedisplayed to the customer in at least some embodiments. As indicated at224, the customer may be prompted to confirm that the item is to beplaced in a tote order. In some embodiments, a confirmation web page maybe displayed, for example web page 700 of FIG. 11, via which thecustomer can confirm that the item is to be added to the tote order. Asindicated at 226, the customer may be notified that the item has beenplaced in the tote order. In some embodiments, a web page may bedisplayed, for example web page 800 of FIG. 12, that notifies thecustomer that the item has been added to the tote order. In someembodiments, the customer may be notified via one or more othercommunications channels, such as email, text message, or telephone.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of placing an item into a tote order using asingle-action user interface element, according to at least someembodiments. As indicated at 230, a customer may select a single-actiontote delivery service UI element for an item. for example, element 442of item detail page 400 shown in FIG. 8 may be a single-action userinterface element. As indicated at 232, the item may be automaticallyadded to an upcoming tote order in response to the customer selectingthe single-action element. As indicated at 234, the customer may benotified that the item has been placed in the tote order. In someembodiments, a web page may be displayed, for example web page 800 ofFIG. 12, that notifies the customer that the item has been added to thetote order. In some embodiments, the customer may be notified via one ormore other communications channels, such as email, text message, ortelephone.

Example Tote Delivery Service User Interface

FIGS. 8 through 16 illustrate examples of various user interface (UI)screens and UI elements that may be used in at least some embodiments ofthe tote delivery service as part of the front end 300 subsystem of thetote delivery service as illustrated in FIG. 5. These UI screens and UIelements are given by way of example, and are not intended to belimiting. In at least some embodiments, the example UI screens shown inFIGS. 8 through 16, variations thereof, and/or other UI screens, may beprovided as web pages by a network site of a network enterprise toenable various functions and features of the tote delivery serviceaccording to various embodiments. Note that, in some embodiments, otherUI screens than the example UI screens illustrated in the Figures may beprovided by the network site; at least some of these other UI screensmay include one or more UI elements related to the tote deliveryservice.

In the example UI screens shown in FIGS. 8 through 16, the customerinterface to the tote delivery service is shown as a graphical userinterface (GUI) that is suitable for display on a personal computer orother similar device with a relatively large display device. In someembodiments, implementations of the tote delivery service user interfacemay be presented on any suitable device, for example on a PersonalDigital Assistant (PDA) or other handheld device, on a cell phone usingaudio prompts, etc, using any of a variety of other presentationmethods, UI screens, UI elements, etc.

In at least some embodiments, customers may be required to already have,or to set up if they do not already have, a user account on the networksite to receive and/or to access at least some of the UI screens and UIelements illustrated in FIGS. 8 through 16, and to use the tote deliveryservice described herein. The customer may have provided customerinformation including, but not limited to, delivery/shipping address,billing address, and payment method information in the process ofsetting up a user account with the network site.

In some embodiments, the tote delivery service may not be available forall customers of the network site; for example, in some embodiments, thetote delivery service may only be offered in areas with relatively highpopulation densities, such as cities or towns, and thus at least somerural customer addresses may not qualify for the service. However, insome embodiments, a customer may have multiple shipping addressesassociated with their account; thus, for a given customer, one or moreshipping addresses may qualify for the tote delivery service, while oneor more other shipping addresses may not qualify.

In some embodiments, the tote delivery service may be provided tocustomers of other enterprises, such as other network enterprises thanthe network enterprise that provides the tote delivery service. Itemsthat another enterprise's customers order for delivery by tote (eithervia the network enterprise's network site or by some other method, suchas a web site of the other enterprise) may be transferred into thenetwork enterprise's order fulfillment network via one or more ingestionchannels. The other enterprise's items may be sorted into outgoing totesat sortation nodes to fulfill their customers' tote orders. Note that,in some embodiments, the other enterprise's items may be placed intototes along with items from the network enterprise that provides thetote delivery service.

In some embodiments, a customer with an account may also be required tosign up for, or sign in to, the tote delivery service to use the totedelivery service and to gain access to at least some of the UI screensand UI elements illustrated in FIGS. 8 through 16. In other embodiments,the tote delivery service may be provided to all qualified customerswith an account without requiring the customers to sign up or sign in.In some embodiments, the network site may not charge any sign-up ordelivery fees for the tote delivery service; the tote delivery servicemay be offered as a free delivery service to all qualified customers. Insome embodiments, the network enterprise may charge a fee to sign up forthe tote delivery service, and/or may charge a delivery fee for eachdelivery. However, generally, any fees charged by the network enterprisefor the tote delivery service may be less than conventional shippingfees.

In some embodiments, the tote delivery service may be offered to somecustomers at lower cost, or no cost, while being offered to othercustomers at a higher cost. For example, in some embodiments, customersthat are members in a subscription-based shipping program may be offeredthe tote delivery service at lower cost or no cost. As another example,in some embodiments, customers in areas with relatively high populationdensities, such as cities or towns, may be offered the tote deliveryservice at lower cost or no cost, while customers in areas with lowerpopulation densities (e.g., rural areas) may be offered the totedelivery service at higher cost. In some embodiments, the customer maybe charged a nominal fee or deposit for each tote. In some embodiments,this tote fee or deposit may be refunded to the customer upon return ofa tote.

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service user interfacemay provide one or more single-action user interface elements, forexample on an item detail page, via which a customer may initiate anorder for an item provided by the network site to be delivered accordingto the tote delivery service. In some embodiments, the tote deliveryservice user interface may also provide one or more single-action userinterface elements via which a customer may initiate an order for anitem provided by the network site according to one or more othershipping options provided to the customer by the network site, forexample according to a subscription-based shipping program, where eachshipping option is associated with a particular one of the single-actionuser interface elements. In some embodiments, one or more of thesesingle-action shipping options may only be presented to customers thatare current subscribers of a subscription-based shipping program, andnot to non-subscribed customers. In embodiments that use single-actionuser interface elements for shipping options, including but not limitedto a tote delivery service shipping option, a single action by acustomer on a user interface provided by the network site to select aparticular one of the shipping options provided by the network site mayautomatically initiate the purchase order, processing, and shipping ordelivery of an item offered by the network site according to theselected shipping option, for example the tote delivery service option.Information associated with the customer including, but not limited to,shipping address, billing address, and payment method information may beused in the automatic processing of the order in response to the singleaction selection of the shipping option.

In some embodiments, one or more other single-action items to initiateother services provided by the network site may be presented tocustomers of the network site. For example, in some embodiments, allcustomers that have an account with the network site, whether or not thecustomer is subscribed to a shipping program offered by the networkenterprise or signed up for the tote delivery service, may be presentedwith at least one single-action user interface element for initiating apurchase order on the item detail pages of items offered for sale by thenetwork site.

Methods and systems for the single-action initiation of a purchase orderare described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,411, titled “Method and System forPlacing a Purchase Order via a Communications Network”, issued Sep. 28,1999, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Methods and apparatus for subscription-based shipping programs aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,590,565, titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FORSUBSCRIPTION-BASED SHIPPING”, issued Sep. 15, 2009, which is herebyincorporated by reference.

Example Tote Delivery Service User Interface Ordering Process

FIGS. 8 through 12 illustrate example web pages that may be displayed inordering an item or items to be delivered by tote according toembodiments of the tote delivery service, for example according to themethod illustrated in FIG. 6. These web pages are given by way ofexample, and are not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example web page of a network site that providesone or more tote delivery service UI elements, according to someembodiments. This example web page 400 is an item detail page via whicha customer may order one or more units of a particular item, but notethat tote delivery service UI elements may be provided on one or moreother web pages of the network site, such as the “home” page. Networksite navigation 402 may include one or more UI elements, such asbuttons, tabs menus, etc., via which the customer may navigate to otherpages on the network site and/or perform other functions, such assearches. In at least some embodiments, network site navigation 402 mayinclude a tote 404 user interface element and/or a cart 406 userinterface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a web page indicatingthe contents of the customer's current tote order. Selecting cart 406may display a web page indicating the contents of the customer's currentshopping cart order(s). A shopping cart may be defined as a virtuallocation that holds items that have been or are being ordered by thecustomer via some other shipping option or options than the totedelivery shipping option. Item detail area 420 may provide relevantgraphical and/or textual information about the particular itemassociated with this item detail web page, such as an item description,price, availability of the item, and other item information such as apicture of the item. User interface area 430 may include one or moreuser interface elements for selecting standard options of the networksite, such as an “Add to cart” button 432 that allows the user to addthe item shown on the web page to a collection, or cart, of items thatthe customer may purchase when done selecting items. Area 430 may alsoinclude a user interface element, such as a pop-up menu or text box, viawhich the customer may select a shipping address for the item, ifordered. The address selection user interface element may default to adefault shipping address of the current customer's account.

Web page 400 may include a banner, bar, or other UI element, shown hereas element 410, which may display information about the tote deliveryservice. This element 410 may include a user-selectable UI element 412,such as a hot link or button, that, when selected, may take the customerto a web page that provides additional information about the totedelivery service. Example of such web pages are shown in FIGS. 9Athrough 9D. Element 410 may also include an indication of an upcomingtote delivery day for the customer (e.g., Friday), and a countdown timerfor the cutoff for ordering items to be delivered on the indicated totedelivery day (e.g., 1 day, 12 hours, and 13 minutes and counting). Insome embodiments, element 410 may not be displayed to customers that areknown to have already signed up to the tote delivery service.

Web page 400 may include an area 440 which may allow a customer to placethe item associated with the item detail page into the customer'svirtual tote for delivery via the tote delivery service and which maydisplay delivery information for the tote via the tote delivery service.This area 440 may include a user-selectable UI element 442, such as abutton, that, when selected, may place the item in the customer'svirtual tote for delivery to the address specified in area 430 on thetote delivery day shown in UI element 444. Area 440 may also include anindication of an upcoming tote delivery day for the customer (e.g.,Friday), and a countdown timer for the cutoff for ordering items to bedelivered on the indicated tote delivery day.

In some embodiments, UI element 442 may be a single-action userinterface element. In these embodiments, selecting UI element 442 mayautomatically initiate the purchase order, processing, and delivery ofthe item according to the tote delivery service. Information associatedwith the customer including, but not limited to, shipping address,billing address, and payment method information may be used in theautomatic processing of the order in response to the single actionselection of UI element 442.

In some embodiments, UI element 442 may open a different web page viawhich the customer may continue placing the order for the item via thetote delivery service. For example, in embodiments in which a customeris required to sign in to the tote delivery service, if the customer isnot currently signed in, selecting UI element 442 may open a web pagesuch as web page 600 shown in FIG. 10 via which the customer signs in tothe tote delivery service. As another example, in some embodiments,selecting UI element 442 may open a web page such as web page 700 shownin FIG. 11 via which a customer may confirm or complete an order to bedelivered via the tote delivery service.

While FIG. 8 shows areas 430 and 440 as separate areas, in someembodiments, the UI elements shown in areas 430 and 440 may be combinedinto one area.

In some embodiments, web page 400 may include a link (not shown) to a“sign in” web page such as web page 600 of FIG. 10 via which thecustomer may sign in to the tote delivery service. In some embodiments,a customer may be required to sign in to the tote delivery service eachtime the customer adds an item to a tote. In other embodiments, thecustomer may only be required to sign in to the tote delivery serviceonce per session.

FIGS. 9A through 9D show examples of web pages that may provideadditional information about embodiments of the tote delivery service.Note that these web pages or the content thereof are given by way ofexample, and are not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 9A illustrates an example web page that provides information aboutan example embodiment of the tote delivery service. Web page 500 may,for example, be reached by selecting a UI element on another web page,such as UI element 412 of the item detail page 400 shown in FIG. 8.Network site navigation 402 may include one or more UI elements, such asbuttons, tabs menus, etc., via which the customer may navigate to otherpages on the network site and/or perform other functions, such assearches. In at least some embodiments, network site navigation 402 mayinclude a tote 404 user interface element and/or a cart 406 userinterface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a web page indicatingthe contents of the customer's current tote order. Selecting cart 406may display a web page indicating the contents of the customer's currentshopping cart order(s). Web page 500 may, for example, include a generaldescription of the tote delivery service, instructions on how to use thetote delivery service, and indications of the particular customer's totedelivery day(s) (in this example, Friday) and order deadline for placingitems in the tote for delivery on the tote delivery day (in thisexample, Tuesday, two days or 48 hours before the scheduled totedelivery day (Friday)).

Web page 500 may also include one or more links to other web pages, suchas a link to a Frequently-Asked Question (FAQ) web page and a link to aterms and conditions web page for the tote delivery service, and/or alink to a “sign in” web page such as web page 600 of FIG. 10 via whichthe customer may sign in to the tote delivery service. Web page 500 mayalso include information and/or a UI element via which a customer maycontact the network enterprise with questions or concerns about the totedelivery service, for example a UI element that opens an email messageto an email address of the network enterprise, or a phone number thatthe customer may call.

FIG. 9B illustrates another example of a web page that providesinformation about an example embodiment of the tote delivery service. Insome embodiments, customers may be required to sign in to the totedelivery service. FIG. 9B shows a web page that includes a deliveryinformation area that may, for example include a UI element via whichthe customer may enter the customer's email address. The email addressmay be used to identify the customer and/or to send the customernotifications and reminders related to the tote delivery service.Delivery information area may also include a UI element via which thecustomer may enter their password. Delivery information area may alsoinclude a UI element, such as sign in button 512, via which the customermay complete the sign in process after entering their email address andpassword.

In some embodiments, some customers may be given more tote delivery daysper week than other customers. For example, a network enterprise mayprovide a subscription-based shipping program; subscribers to theshipping program may be provided with one or more shipping options, andpossibly other options, that are not provided to non-subscribedcustomers. Customers that are subscribed to the shipping program may begiven an additional tote delivery day as a benefit of being subscribers.In some embodiments, customers that are subscribed to the shippingprogram may be benefits, such as a shorter cutoff time for orderingitems to be delivered by tote. Thus, in some embodiments, a web pagethat provides information about the tote delivery service may bedifferent for some customers, for example customers that are subscribedto a shipping program, than a web page that provides information to anon-subscribed customer. FIG. 9C illustrates an example of a web pagethat provides information about an example embodiment of the totedelivery service to a customer that has one assigned tote day per week(Wednesday, in this example). FIG. 9D illustrates an example of a webpage that provides information about an example embodiment of the totedelivery service to a customer that has two assigned tote day per week(Wednesday and Saturday, in this example), for example to a customerthat is subscribed to a subscription-based shipping program.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example web page via which a customer may sign into the tote delivery service, according to some embodiments. In someembodiments, a customer may be required to sign in to the tote deliveryservice each time the customer adds an item to a tote, or at leastprovide a tote delivery service password. Web page 600 may, for example,be reached by selecting a UI element on another web page, such as UIelement 442 of the item detail page 400 shown in FIG. 8, UI element 930of item detail page 900 shown in FIG. 13, or UI element 1030 of itemdetail page 1000 shown in FIG. 14, if the customer is not currentlysigned in to the tote delivery service, or if the tote delivery servicerequires the customer to sign in each time an item is ordered to bedelivered via tote delivery. In some embodiments, web page 600 may bereached from a “sign in” UI element on the network site's home page, orfrom a menu item or button in network site navigation 402 area ofanother web page. Network site navigation 402 may include one or more UIelements, such as buttons, tabs menus, etc., via which the customer maynavigate to other pages on the network site and/or perform otherfunctions, such as searches. In at least some embodiments, network sitenavigation 402 may include a tote 404 user interface element and/or acart 406 user interface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a webpage indicating the contents of the customer's current tote order.Selecting cart 406 may display a web page indicating the contents of thecustomer's current shopping cart order(s).

Web page 600 may include a sign in area 610 via which a customer maysign in to the tote delivery service. Sign in area 610 may, for exampleinclude a UI element via which the customer may enter the customer'semail address. The email address may be used to identify the customerand/or to send the customer notifications and reminders related to thetote delivery service. Sign in area 610 may also include one or more UIelements via which the customer may indicate whether the customer is anew customer or an existing customer. In this example, radio buttons areused. If the customer indicates that he or she is a new customer, one ormore UI elements may be presented on web page 600 via which the customermay “sign up” for the tote delivery service and receive or specify apassword. Alternatively, the customer may be taken to another web pageto sign up for the tote delivery service. If the customer indicates thathe or she is already signed up (i.e., already has a password), as shownin FIG. 10, then a UI element may be presented via which the customermay enter their password. Sign in area 610 may also include a UIelement, such as sign in button 612, via which the customer may completethe sign in process after entering their email address and password.

Web page 600 may, but does not necessarily, include an area in which thecustomer's current (virtual) tote contents, if any, may be displayed.Note that the items may or may not actually be physically present in aphysical tote. Each item shown may include item information such as abrief item description, quantity, and price.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example web page via which a customer may confirmthat an item is to be placed in a pending tote order, according to someembodiments. Web page 700 may, for example, be reached by selecting a UIelement on another web page, such as UI element 442 of the item detailpage 400 shown in FIG. 8, UI element 930 of item detail page 900 shownin FIG. 13, or UI element 1030 of item detail page 1000 shown in FIG.14. Network site navigation 402 may include one or more UI elements,such as buttons, tabs menus, etc., via which the customer may navigateto other pages on the network site and/or perform other functions, suchas searches. In at least some embodiments, network site navigation 402may include a tote 404 user interface element and/or a cart 406 userinterface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a web page indicatingthe contents of the customer's current tote order. Selecting cart 406may display a web page indicating the contents of the customer's currentshopping cart order(s).

Web page 700 may include an area 710 via which the customer may choosefrom among multiple shipping addresses and/or tote delivery days to oron which an item or items currently being purchased will be delivered ina tote. A customer may have one, two, or more different shippingaddresses that are eligible for the tote delivery service. Differentshipping addresses for a customer may be, but are not necessarily, indifferent delivery zones. Thus, the customer may have one shippingaddress with one day (e.g., Wednesday) as the tote delivery day, andanother shipping address with a different day (e.g., Friday) as the totedelivery day. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the customer has twodifferent tote delivery days (delivery day 1 and delivery day 2) to twodifferent shipping addresses (address 1 and address 2), and the customermay select one or the other (e.g., via radio buttons as shown in thisexample) as the tote delivery day for a current item or items. Note,however, that the delivery day for two different delivery addresses maybe the same delivery day. Also note that a customer may have only onedelivery address, and thus may have only one delivery day, and thus maynot be given an option. However, in the latter case, the customer may begiven the option of selecting a future delivery day (e.g., Friday nextweek, instead of Friday this week, to the given shipping address).

In some embodiments, a customer may have multiple tote delivery days ina week to the same shipping address, for example Tuesday and Friday to agiven address. In some embodiments, all customers may be given two (ormore) tote delivery days per week. In some embodiments, a subset ofdelivery addresses may be given two (or more) tote delivery days perweek; for example, delivery addresses in some but not all delivery zonesmay be given two tote delivery days per week. As another example, insome embodiments, subscribers to a subscription-based shipping programmay be given two (or more) tote delivery days per week, rather than thestandard one tote delivery day per week provided to non-subscribedcustomers, as a benefit of being subscribed to the shipping program.Area 710 may thus allow a customer to specify which upcoming totedelivery day the customer wants the item to be delivered.

Web page 700 may also include a payment and billing area 730. Paymentand billing area 730 may display the current payment method to be usedto bill the customer, e.g. a Visa or other credit card account. Paymentand billing area 730 may include a user interface element that allowsthe subscriber to change the payment method, if desired. Payment andbilling area 730 may also display the current billing address for thecustomer payment and billing area 730 may include a user interfaceelement that allows the subscriber to change the billing address, ifdesired.

Web page 700 may, but does not necessarily, include an area 720 in whichthe customer's current (virtual) tote contents, if any, may bedisplayed. This example shows that this customer has two items (item 1and item 2) currently in their virtual tote pending tote delivery on theselected upcoming tote delivery day (day 2, in this example). Note thatthe items in the virtual tote may or may not actually be physicallypresent in a physical tote. Also note that the displayed tote contentsfor a given tote represent a tote order. Each item shown may includeitem information such as a brief item description, quantity, and price.In some embodiments, area 720 may include, for each item, a UI element(e.g., a link to another web page, shown as “Change” in this example)via which the customer may choose to change an item, or the quantity ofan item, in a tote order. Note that changing may include removing theitem from a tote order, moving the item to a different tote order, orchanging the quantity of the item in the tote order. For example, insome embodiments, selecting the “change” UI element may open a web pagevia which the customer may manage the current content of one or morevirtual totes; an example of such a web page is shown as web page 1100in FIG. 15.

Web page 700 may, but does not necessarily, include a tote order summaryarea 740 that may display summary information for the items in thevirtual tote as they are currently displayed in area 720, such as thecost of the items, shipping charges (free, in this example), totalpre-tax cost of the items, any relevant taxes or an estimation thereof,total cost of the items, discounts, and possibly other relevantinformation about the tote order. Note that the tote order summary 740is specific to the tote order for a given tote delivery day to a giventote delivery address. The items in the respective virtual tote aretreated as one tote order, even though the items in the tote may havebeen ordered at different times that may be hours, days, or even weeksapart.

Web page 700 may include a UI element 742, such as a button, via whichthe customer may confirm that the item is to be added to a specifiedtote order. Selecting this UI element 742 causes the current item, asspecified by the customer, to be placed into the specified virtual tote,and into the corresponding tote order. Web page 700 may also include aUI element via which the customer may cancel the order confirmationshown on the page, if desired. Selecting UI element 742 may cause thenetwork enterprise logic to enter or modify the tote order in the systemfor processing, picking, and delivery by tote on the indicated totedelivery day to the indicated customer address. Selecting this UIelement 742 may also open a web page that confirms that the tote orderhas been placed or modified, such as web page 800 shown in FIG. 12.Selecting this UI element 742 may cause the network enterprise logic toperform other actions, such as notifying the customer, by email or someother communications channel, to confirm that the tote order has beenplaced or modified, is being processed, and will be delivered by tote onthe scheduled tote delivery day to the respective customer address.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example web page that confirms that a tote orderhas been placed by the customer, according to some embodiments. Web page800 may be reached, for example, by selecting UI element 742 of web page700 shown in FIG. 11. Network site navigation 402 may include one ormore UI elements, such as buttons, tabs menus, etc., via which thecustomer may navigate to other pages on the network site and/or performother functions, such as searches. In at least some embodiments, networksite navigation 402 may include a tote 404 user interface element and/ora cart 406 user interface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a webpage indicating the contents of the customer's current tote order.Selecting cart 406 may display a web page indicating the contents of thecustomer's current shopping cart order(s).

Web page 800 may, but does not necessarily, include a tote order summaryarea 840 that may display summary information for the tote order, suchas the tote order number, tote delivery address and tote delivery day, asummary of the items in the tote order, total cost of the tote order,and possibly other relevant information about the tote order, such asdiscounts. Note that the tote order summary 740 is specific to the toteorder for a given tote delivery day to a given tote delivery address.The items in the respective tote are treated as one tote order, eventhough the items in the tote may have been ordered at different timesthat may be hours, days, or even weeks apart.

Web page 800 may also include an indication of a tote order number viawhich the customer may track the tote order, the number of items and/ora description of the items that will be in the delivered tote, and thedelivery day or date on which the tote will be delivered to the customeraddress. Web page 800 may also inform the customer that a confirmationhas been sent to the customer via another communications channel, suchas email.

Web page 800 may also include a UI element 812 via which the customermay open another web page on which the customer may view or edit thecontents of one or more virtual totes; an example of such a web page isshown as web page 1100 in FIG. 15. Web page 800 may also include a UIelement 810 via which the customer may open, or return to, another webpage to continue shopping.

In some embodiments, web page 800 may also include an itemrecommendations area 820 that may display recommendations of one or moreother items that the customer may wish to order, using the tote deliveryservice or possibly some other shipping option. Area 820 may listinformation about these one or more recommended items, such as an image,brief description, price, and possibly special offer information whereapplicable. In some embodiments, the recommended items that are listedmay be determined by the enterprise logic based on current or pastpurchasing history of the customer, including but not limited to theitem(s) purchased by the customer in the current tote order. Note that asimilar or the same display of recommended items may be shown on otherweb pages of the network site, including but not limited to one or moreof the other example web pages shown in FIGS. 8 through 16. Further notethat the recommended items may be included in the confirmation emailsent to the customer for the current order, or may be sent to thecustomer via some other communications channel. In some embodiments,selecting one of the recommended items in area 820 may open an itemdetail page for that item. Example item detail pages are shown in FIGS.8, 13, and 14. Alternatively, in some embodiments, selecting one of therecommended items in area 820 may automatically add the item to thecurrent tote order, and may open the web page 700 shown in FIG. 11 sothat the customer may re-confirm the modified order. In someembodiments, the customer may be given a choice as to whether a selectedrecommended item is to be placed into the current tote (thus modifyingthe current order, e.g. by taking the customer back to web page 700 ofFIG. 11) or ordered separately (thus taking the customer to the itemdetail page for the recommended item).

Integrating the Tote Delivery Service with a Subscription-Based ShippingProgram

As previously mentioned, a network enterprise may provide asubscription-based shipping program. In the subscription-based shippingprogram, subscribers to the shipping program may be provided with one ormore shipping options, and possibly other options, that are not providedto non-subscribed customers. Furthermore, in some embodiments of thetote delivery service in which the network enterprise also offers asubscription-based shipping program, customers that are subscribed tothe shipping program may be given an additional tote delivery day as abenefit of being subscribers. In some embodiments, customers that aresubscribed to the shipping program may be given other tote deliveryservice benefits, such as a shorter cutoff time for ordering items to bedelivered by tote on an upcoming tote delivery day. Thus, in someembodiments, item detail pages, and possibly other web pages in theordering process, that are presented to a customer that is subscribed toa shipping program may be different than an item detail page or otherweb page that is presented to a non-subscribed customer. FIG. 13illustrates an example item detail page that may be presented to anon-subscribed customer according to some embodiments, while FIG. 14illustrates an example item detail page that may be presented to acustomer subscribed to such a shipping program, according to someembodiments.

FIG. 13 illustrates an example item detail page that may be presented toa non-subscribed customer according to some embodiments. Web page 900 isan item detail page via which a non-subscribed customer, that is acustomer that is not currently subscribed to a subscription-basedshipping program offered by the network enterprise, may order one ormore units of a particular item to be shipped according to standard(non-subscriber) shipping options or delivered according to the totedelivery service. Network site navigation 402 may include one or more UIelements, such as buttons, tabs menus, etc., via which the customer maynavigate to other pages on the network site and/or perform otherfunctions, such as searches. In at least some embodiments, network sitenavigation 402 may include a tote 404 user interface element and/or acart 406 user interface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a webpage indicating the contents of the customer's current tote order.Selecting cart 406 may display a web page indicating the contents of thecustomer's current shopping cart order(s).

Item detail area 920 may provide relevant graphical and/or textualinformation about the particular item associated with this item detailweb page, such as an item description, price, availability of the item,and other item information such as a picture of the item. User interfacearea 910 may include one or more user interface elements for selectingstandard options of the network site presented to a non-subscribedcustomer, such as an “Add to cart” button 912 that allows the customerto add the item shown on the web page to a collection, or cart, of itemsthat the customer may purchase when done selecting items and a “buy now”button 914. In some embodiments, UI element 914 may be a single-actionuser interface element. In these embodiments, selecting UI element 914may automatically initiate the purchase order, processing, and deliveryof the item according to a standard shipping option offered by thenetwork enterprise. Information associated with the customer including,but not limited to, shipping address, billing address, and paymentmethod information may be used in the automatic processing of the orderin response to the single action selection of UI element 914. Area 910may also include a user interface element, such as a pop-up menu or textbox, via which the customer may select a shipping address for the item,if ordered. The address selection user interface element may default toa default shipping address of the current customer's account.

Web page 900 may include a banner, bar, or other UI element (not shown)that may display information about the tote delivery service. Web page900 may also include a user-selectable UI element, such as a hot link orbutton, that, when selected, may take the customer to a web page thatprovides additional information about the tote delivery service.Examples of such a web page are shown in FIGS. 9A through 9D. In someembodiments, these elements may not be displayed to customers that areknown to have already signed up to the tote delivery service.

Web page 900 may include a UI element 930, such as a button, that, whenselected, may place the item in the customer's virtual tote for deliveryto the address specified in area 910 on a displayed tote delivery day,if ordered before a displayed time. In some embodiments, UI element 930may be a single-action user interface element. In these embodiments,selecting UI element 930 may automatically initiate the purchase order,processing, and delivery of the item according to the tote deliveryservice. Information associated with the customer including, but notlimited to, shipping address, billing address, and payment methodinformation may be used in the automatic processing of the order inresponse to the single action selection of UI element 930.

In some embodiments, UI element 930 may open a different web page viawhich the customer may continue placing the order for the item via thetote delivery service. For example, in embodiments in which a customeris required to sign in to the tote delivery service, if the customer isnot currently signed in, selecting UI element 930 may open a web pagesuch as web page 600 shown in FIG. 10 via which the customer signs in tothe tote delivery service. As another example, in some embodiments,selecting UI element 930 may open a web page such as web page 700 shownin FIG. 11 via which a customer may confirm or complete an order to bedelivered via the tote delivery service.

In some embodiments, web page 900 may include a link (not shown) to a“sign in” web page such as web page 600 of FIG. 10 via which thecustomer may sign in to the tote delivery service.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example item detail page that may be presented toa customer subscribed to such a shipping program according to someembodiments. Web page 1000 is an item detail page via which a customerthat is currently subscribed to a subscription-based shipping programoffered by the network enterprise may order one or more units of aparticular item to be shipped according to one or more shipping optionsoffered to subscribers to the shipping program or delivered according tothe tote delivery service. Network site navigation 402 may include oneor more UI elements, such as buttons, tabs menus, etc., via which thecustomer may navigate to other pages on the network site and/or performother functions, such as searches. In at least some embodiments, networksite navigation 402 may include a tote 404 user interface element and/ora cart 406 user interface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a webpage indicating the contents of the customer's current tote order.Selecting cart 406 may display a web page indicating the contents of thecustomer's current shopping cart order(s).

Item detail area 1020 may provide relevant graphical and/or textualinformation about the particular item associated with this item detailweb page, such as an item description, price, availability of the item,and other item information such as a picture of the item. User interfacearea 1010 may include one or more user interface elements for selectingoptions of the network site presented to a non-subscribed customer, suchas an “Add to cart” button 1012 that allows the customer to add the itemshown on the web page to a collection, or cart, of items that thecustomer may purchase when done selecting items and a “buy now” button1014. In some embodiments, UI element 1014 may be a single-action userinterface element. In these embodiments, selecting UI element 1014 mayautomatically initiate the purchase order, processing, and delivery ofthe item according to a shipping option offered by the networkenterprise only to subscribed customers, such as free two-day shipping.Information associated with the customer including, but not limited to,shipping address, billing address, and payment method information may beused in the automatic processing of the order in response to the singleaction selection of UI element 1014. Area 1010 may also include a userinterface element, such as a pop-up menu or text box, via which thecustomer may select a shipping address for the item, if ordered. Theaddress selection user interface element may default to a defaultshipping address of the current customer's account.

Web page 1000 may include a banner, bar, or other UI element (not shown)which may display information about the tote delivery service. Web page1000 may also include a user-selectable UI element, such as a hot linkor button, that, when selected, may take the customer to a web page thatprovides additional information about the tote delivery service. Exampleof such web pages are shown in FIGS. 9A through 9D. In some embodiments,these elements may not be displayed to customers that are known to havealready signed up to the tote delivery service.

Web page 1000 may include a UI element 1030, such as a button, that,when selected, may place the item in the customer's virtual tote fordelivery to the address specified in area 1010 on a displayed totedelivery day, if ordered before a displayed time. In addition to UIelement 1030 via which the customer may order the item to be deliveredvia the tote delivery service, web page 1000 may include one or moreother UI elements via which the customer may choose to order the item tobe delivered by one of one or more other shipping options offered viathe subscription-based shipping program to subscribed customers. In theexample shown in FIG. 14, web page 1000 includes a UI element 1040 viawhich the customer may select to have the item shipped via a one-dayshipping option for a lower shipping cost than is offered tonon-subscribed customers, and a UI element 1050 via which the customermay select to have the item shipped via a free two-day shipping optionfor free, whereas non-subscribed customers are charged some shippingcost for two-day shipping.

In some embodiments, one or more of the s UI elements that provide thevarious shipping options (in this example, UI elements 1030, 1040, and1050) may be single-action user interface elements. In theseembodiments, selecting one of the UI elements, for example element 1030,may automatically initiate the purchase order, processing, and deliveryof the item according to the respective shipping option. Informationassociated with the customer including, but not limited to, shippingaddress, billing address, and payment method information may be used inthe automatic processing of the order in response to the single actionselection of a shipping option UI element.

In some embodiments, selecting UI element 1030 may open a different webpage via which the customer may continue placing the order for the itemvia the tote delivery service. For example, in embodiments in which acustomer is required to sign in to the tote delivery service, if thecustomer is not currently signed in, selecting UI element 1030 may opena web page such as web page 600 shown in FIG. 10 via which the customersigns in to the tote delivery service. As another example, in someembodiments, selecting UI element 1030 may open a web page such as webpage 700 shown in FIG. 11 via which a customer may confirm or completean order to be delivered via the tote delivery service.

Web page 1000 may also display information about the various shippingoptions offered to the subscribed customer. In this example, web page1000 displays the dates on which the customer should receive the item ifordered via the various shipping options. Web page 1000 may also displaya time by which the item must be ordered respective to each of the twoor more shipping options in order to receive the item by the indicateddate.

In some embodiments, web page 1000 may include a link (not shown) to a“sign in” web page such as web page 600 of FIG. 10 via which thecustomer may sign in to the tote delivery service.

In some embodiments, UI elements that provide multiple shipping optionsto a customer including a tote delivery service shipping option, asshown on web page 1000 of FIG. 14, may be provided on other web pagesthan the item detail pages. For example, in some embodiments, the userinterface may provide a UI element or elements on one or more web pages,for example in a network site navigation area 402, via which thecustomer may choose to complete an order of one or more items that arecurrently in the customer's shopping cart (see, e.g., UI element 432 ofFIG. 8, UI element 912 of FIG. 13, and UI element 1012 of FIG. 14). Ashopping cart may be defined as a virtual location that holds items thathave been or are being ordered by the customer via some other shippingoption or options than the tote delivery shipping option. Items in ashopping cart are generally processed through a “checkout” process inwhich the customer confirms or completes the shopping cart order(s).Selecting such a UI element may open an order confirmation or completionweb page for the shopping cart. UI elements that provide the multipleshipping options to the customer including the tote delivery serviceshipping option may be displayed on an order confirmation or completionweb page for the shopping cart, or on some other web page displayedduring the checkout process, and may be configured to perform actionssimilar to those described for the shipping option UI elements describedfor FIG. 14. Note that selecting the tote delivery service shippingoption during the shopping cart checkout process may result in one ormore item(s) in the virtual shopping cart being moved into a virtualtote order.

Furthermore, while web page 1000 of FIG. 14 is given as an example of anitem detail page specific to a customer that is subscribed to asubscription-based shipping program, in some embodiments, including butnot limited to embodiments that do provide and embodiments that do notprovide such a subscription-based shipping program, non-subscribedcustomers may be presented with a similar item detail page that providesmultiple shipping options to the customer including a tote deliveryservice shipping option.

Tote Management

As previously noted, at least some embodiments of the tote deliveryservice may provide a user interface to a network enterprise system thatenables customers to manage their own tote deliveries. The totemanagement user interface may allow the customer to specify totedelivery for items ordered from the network enterprise. The totemanagement user interface may also, for example, provide a display ofvirtual totes scheduled for delivery on future tote delivery days. In atleast some embodiments the tote management user interface may displaypreviously delivered totes and their contents instead or in addition tofuture tote deliveries so that customers can view their tote orderhistory. Via the tote management user interface, the customer may, forexample, view what items are scheduled to be delivered in which totes,add items to particular totes to be delivered to the customer's shippingaddress (or shipping addresses) on particular tote delivery days, removeor delete items from totes, move or replicate an item from one tote toanother, replicate entire tote orders from one tote delivery day ordelivery address to another, and schedule periodic deliveries (e.g.,monthly deliveries) of particular items or entire tote orders to bedelivered in totes. In addition, in at least some embodiments, thecustomer may specify, via the user interface, that back-ordered orpre-ordered items are to be delivered by tote; in some embodiments, thetote management user interface may be used to view the projected futuretote shipping days for such items as scheduled delivery items,back-ordered items, and pre-ordered items.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example tote management page that may bepresented to a customer according to some embodiments. Tote managementpage 1100 may be reached, for example, by selecting a “Change” userinterface element as shown in area 720 of web page 700 illustrated inFIG. 11, or by selecting a UI element 812 on web page 800 illustrated inFIG. 12. In some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may be reachedfrom a “manage your totes” UI element on the network site's home page,or from a “manage your totes” UI element on the customer's accountmanagement page, or from a menu item or button in a network sitenavigation 402 area of another web page. Network site navigation 402, onthis and other web pages, may include one or more UI elements, such asbuttons, tabs menus, etc., via which the customer may navigate to otherpages on the network site and/or perform other functions, such assearches. In at least some embodiments, network site navigation 402 mayinclude a tote 404 user interface element and/or a cart 406 userinterface element. Selecting tote 404 may display a web page indicatingthe contents of the customer's current tote order. Selecting cart 406may display a web page indicating the contents of the customer's currentshopping cart order(s).

Tote management page 1100 may display, in a tote management area 1110,one or more virtual tote UI elements 1112 each corresponding to anupcoming tote delivery day for the customer. In some embodiments, totemanagement page 1100, or a similar page, may display previouslydelivered totes 1112 and their contents instead or in addition toupcoming tote deliveries. In this example, the customer has one totedelivery day per week (Friday), and the totes 1112 for four upcomingFriday deliveries are shown. In some embodiments, a given customer mayhave more than one tote delivery day per week (for example two days,e.g. Wednesday and Friday), and tote management page 1100 may thusdisplay totes 1112 for more than one delivery day per week for thecustomer.

This example also assumes that the customer has only one shippingaddress, or that totes 1112 for only one shipping address of thecustomer are shown. However, a customer may have one, two, or moredifferent shipping addresses that are eligible for the tote deliveryservice. Different shipping addresses for a customer may be, but are notnecessarily, in different delivery zones. Thus, a customer may have oneshipping address with one day (e.g., Wednesday) as the tote deliveryday, and another shipping address with a different day (e.g., Friday) asthe tote delivery day, or a customer may have two or more differentshipping addresses with the same tote delivery day. In some embodiments,if the customer has two or more shipping addresses, then tote managementpage 1100 may display totes 1112 corresponding to each shipping address,and thus may display totes 1112 for more than one delivery day per week,or may display more than one tote 1112 per delivery day (e.g., two totes1112 for Friday delivery, each to a different shipping address).Alternatively, in some embodiments, a tote management page 1100 may bespecific to a particular tote shipping address for the customer, and thecustomer may have to navigate to a tote management page 1100corresponding to each different shipping address to view upcoming totes1112 for that address. In some embodiments, tote management page 1100may provide one or more UI elements via which the user may choose toview the totes 1112 for a selected one of multiple shipping addresses,or for more than one shipping address, or all shipping addresses, on asingle tote management page 1100.

One or more of the displayed virtual totes 1112 may include one or moreitem 1114 UI elements that the customer has previously added to the tote1112 corresponding to the delivery day, and possibly also correspondingto a specific delivery address if the customer has more than oneshipping address that qualifies for the tote delivery program. Note thata displayed tote 1112 may be empty. Each item 1114 UI element may bedisplayed graphically, for example as a thumbnail image representing theparticular item 1114, and/or textually, for example as a textual link toan item details page corresponding to the item. In some embodiments,selecting an item 1114 UI element may open an item details page for theitem. Note that the customer may then add another unit or units of theitem to an upcoming tote; upon returning to the tote management page1100, the added item(s) will be displayed in the appropriate tote 1112.

In some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may provide one or moreUI elements or methods via which the customer may modify the content ofan upcoming tote 1112. In some embodiments, the customer may remove ordelete an item 1114 from an upcoming tote 1112, for example byclick-dragging the item 1114 out of the tote 1112 using a cursor controldevice such as a mouse, by right-clicking on the item 1114 with themouse and selecting a “remove item” option from a popup menu, or byselecting the item 1114 and choosing a “remove item” or “delete item”option from a menu or other UI element provided elsewhere on the totemanagement page 1100. In some embodiments, each item 1114 may have a“delete item” or “cancel item” UI element, for example a checkbox,displayed next to the item. The customer may select this UI element todelete or cancel the respective item 1114, or alternatively may selectthis UI element for one or more items 1114 and then select a “delete” UIelement (e.g., element 1122) to delete or cancel the one or moreselected items 1114. In some embodiments, the customer may move an itemor items 1114 from one upcoming tote 1112 to another upcoming tote 1112,for example by click-dragging the item(s) 1114 out of one tote 1112 intoanother tote 1112. In some embodiments, the customer may replicate oneor more items 1114 from a previously delivered or upcoming tote 1112 toanother upcoming tote 1112, for example by click-dragging an item(s)1114 in one tote 1112 into another tote 1112. In some embodiments, thecustomer may be asked if the customer wants to replicate or move aclick-dragged item or items. In some embodiments, an item or items 1114in a previously delivered or upcoming tote 1112 may be selected, and theuser interface may allow the customer to specify, via one or more userinterface elements, that the item(s) 1114 are to be delivered by tote1112 on a regular schedule, for example once a week, once every twoweeks, once a month, and so on.

In some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may provide one or moreUI elements or methods via which the customer may manage entire totes1112. In some embodiments, a tote 1112 for one delivery day may be movedto another delivery day. In some embodiments, a tote 1112 for onedelivery day may be replicated to another delivery day, or a tote 1112for one delivery address may be replicated to another delivery address.In some embodiments, previously delivered totes 1112, as well asupcoming totes 1112, may be replicated. In some embodiments, a tote 1112may be selected and deleted, thus canceling the orders for all items1114 in the tote 1112. In some embodiments, a tote 1112 may be selected,and the user interface may allow the customer to specify, via one ormore user interface elements, that the current tote 1112 contents are tobe delivered by tote on a regular schedule, for example once a week,once every two weeks, once a month, and so on. In some embodiments,previously delivered totes 1112, as well as upcoming totes 1112, may beso scheduled for regular delivery. Some embodiments may provide one ormore UI elements, for example a popup menu or buttons, whereby acustomer can select an entire tote and specify a particular action to beperformed on the tote 1112, for example one or more of “Replicate,”“Delete,” “Move,” and “Schedule for Regular Delivery” actions.

The example tote management page 1100 in FIG. 15 shows four userinterface elements (replicate 1120, delete 1122, move 1124, and schedule1126), such as buttons, that may be used in replicating selected itemsand/or totes, deleting selected items and/or totes, moving selecteditems and/or totes, and scheduling selected items and/or totes forregular delivery, respectively, according to some embodiments.

Tote management page 1100 thus allows a customer to, for example, moveor replicate an item or items, or an entire tote 1112, from one totedelivery day to another tote delivery day. Since a customer may havemultiple delivery addresses, tote management page 1100 may also allow acustomer to move or replicate an item or items, or an entire tote 1112,from one delivery address to another delivery address. Thus, embodimentsof the tote delivery service, via the user interface and networkenterprise logic, may allow a customer to manage his or her totedeliveries across time and across location.

Customer actions on tote management page 1100 that modify the contentsof one or more displayed totes 1112 may cause the network enterpriselogic (e.g., enterprise logic 330 of FIG. 5) to modify electronicrecords (e.g., tote delivery data 336 of FIG. 5) corresponding to thetote delivery orders placed by the customer. The network enterpriselogic may also send notifications, for example by email or some othercommunications channel, to the customer notifying the customer of themodifications to the upcoming totes 1112. In some embodiments, thenetwork enterprise logic may not apply the changes to the electronicrecords until the customer has exited or closed the tote management page1100. In some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may provide an“apply changes” or similar UI element (not shown in FIG. 15) that thecustomer may select to apply any changes that the customer has made tothe totes 1112 in a current session; in these embodiments, the networkenterprise logic may not apply the changes to the electronic recordsuntil the customer has indicated that the changes are to be applied.

Tote management page 1100 may provide one or more UI elements via whichthe customer may scroll, page, or otherwise view other totes 1112 thanthose currently displayed. For example, tote management area 1110 mayinclude left and right arrow UI elements that allow the customer to stepor page through the customers' upcoming and/or previously deliveredtotes 1112. As another example, tote management area 1110 may includehorizontal and/or vertical scroll bars that allow the user to scrollthrough the customer's upcoming and/or previously delivered totes 1112.In some embodiments, a popup menu or toolbar menu may textually displaya list of the customer's upcoming and/or previously delivered tote days;the customer may select a tote day from the menu to display that tote1112. In some embodiments, tote management area 1110 may include a UIelement in which the customer may enter a future or past tote day, and a“go to” UI element that the customer selects to go to (display) therespective tote.

Tote management page 1100 provides a method for the customer to keeptrack of items that the customer has ordered, as the customer can browsethrough future scheduled tote deliveries to view what items the customerhas pending to be delivered and when the items are scheduled to bedelivered via the tote delivery service, rather than the customer havingto go back through past orders to try and figure out what items thecustomer has pending for delivery as in conventional systems. Totemanagement page 1100 may also provide a method for the customer toreview previously delivered totes.

In at least some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may also provideother user interface elements than virtual totes 1112 into which thecustomer may move items and from which the user may add items to totes1112. In some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may include a“Shopping Cart” user interface element (not shown in FIG. 15) thatdisplays the current contents of the customer's “shopping cart,” that isitems that have been or are being ordered by the customer via some othershipping option than the tote delivery shipping option. Tote managementpage 1100 may allow the customer to move items from the shopping cartinto totes 1112, and also may allow the customer to move items fromtotes 1112 into the shopping cart. In some embodiments, moving an itemfrom the shopping cart into a tote 1112 or moving an item from a tote1112 into the shopping cart may result in an appropriate web page beingdisplayed via which ordering/shipping method details may be specified bythe customer and/or appropriate notification being provided to thecustomer.

In some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may include a “stagingtote” user interface element (not shown in FIG. 15). In at least someembodiments, the enterprise logic and user interface may provide a“staging tote”; the staging tote may be a virtual location where acustomer may store items that the customer is considering for totedelivery (or for some other shipping option) but for which the customerhas not yet added to a particular tote 1112 or specified to be shippedby some other shipping option. In some embodiments, in addition to an“add to tote order” user interface element, an item detail page, such asitem detail pages 400 shown in FIG. 8 and item detail pages 900 and 1000shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, respectively, may include an “add to stagingtote” user interface element; other web pages may also include an “addto staging tote” user interface element. Tote management page 1100 mayallow the customer to move items from the staging tote into totes 1112,move items from totes 1112 into the staging tote, and delete items fromthe staging tote. If tote management page 1100 includes other userinterface elements that may include items such as the above-describedshopping cart user interface element, the tote management page 1112 mayallow the customer to move items from the staging tote into the otheruser interface element and vice versa.

In at least some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may include oneor more user interface elements that allow a customer to return one ormore items in a tote or entire tote orders. As another example, in someembodiments, the customer may select one or more items in a tote, or anentire tote order, and select a “return item(s)” or “return tote order”option. In at least some embodiments, tote management page 1100 mayinclude return totes (not shown) as well as delivery totes 1112. Thereturn totes may allow the customer to view and manage items to bereturned in totes via the tote delivery service. The user interface mayprovide one or more user interface elements whereby a customer may additems to a return tote that the customer wants to return, or removeitems from, a return tote. In some embodiments, rather than displayingseparate return totes, return items may be added to or removed fromtotes 1112; the user interface may display one or more indications ofwhich items in the cart 1112 are to be delivered on the respective totedelivery day, and which items are to be returned in the return cart onthe respective tote delivery day.

In some embodiments, tote management page 1100 may be displayed invarious modes. The modes may, for example, be selectable via a userinterface element or elements such as a menu, check boxes, or radiobuttons. Display modes for the tote management page 1100 may include oneor more of, but are not limited to:

-   -   An “upcoming tote delivery” mode in which only totes 1112 for        upcoming delivery days are shown;    -   A “previously delivered totes” mode in which only previously        delivered totes are shown;    -   A “return totes” mode in which only totes that include items to        be returned are shown;    -   A “scheduled tote” mode in which only regularly scheduled totes        are shown;    -   An “Address” mode in which only totes for a specified delivery        address are shown;    -   A “delivery day” mode in which only totes for a specified        delivery day or days (e.g., Friday) are shown;    -   A “combination” mode in which two or more of the above are        shown; and    -   A “show all” mode in which all tote management user interface        elements are shown.

While the example tote management page 1100 in FIG. 15 shows the totesand items as graphical representations of tote orders, in someembodiments, a tote management page may display the tote orderstextually, or using a combination of textual and graphicalrepresentation. In some embodiments, the customer may be allowed tochoose the display mode (graphical or textual) for the tote managementpage. In some embodiments, a page may be provided via which the customermay view tote orders, either graphically or textually, but on which thecustomer is not allowed to modify the tote orders, or is only allowed toperform a subset of the tote management actions described above.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example tote return page that may be presented toa customer according to some embodiments and via which the customer mayspecify items to be delivered to the network enterprise in return totes,as well as when and from where the item is to be so returned. Totereturn page 1150 may be reached, for example, by selecting a “Return anitem by tote” user interface element on one or more other web pages. Forexample, in some embodiments, tote return page 1150 may be reached froma “Return an item by tote” UI element on the network site's home page,on the customer's account management page, or on tote management page1100, or from a menu item or button in a network site navigation 402area of another web page. Network site navigation 402, on this and otherweb pages, may include one or more UI elements, such as buttons, tabsmenus, etc., via which the customer may navigate to other pages on thenetwork site and/or perform other functions, such as searches. In atleast some embodiments, network site navigation 402 may include a tote404 user interface element and/or a cart 406 user interface element.Selecting tote 404 may display a web page indicating the contents of thecustomer's current tote order. Selecting cart 406 may display a web pageindicating the contents of the customer's current shopping cartorder(s).

Tote return page 1150 may include an area 1160 via which the customermay choose from among multiple shipping addresses and/or tote deliverydays to or on which an item or items will be returned in a tote. Acustomer may have one, two, or more different shipping addresses thatare eligible for the tote delivery service. Different shipping addressesfor a customer may be, but are not necessarily, in different deliveryzones. Thus, the customer may have one shipping address with one day(e.g., Wednesday) as the tote delivery and pickup day, and anothershipping address with a different day (e.g., Friday) as the totedelivery and pickup day. In the example shown in FIG. 16, the customerhas two different tote pickup days (pickup day 1 and pickup day 2) fromtwo different shipping addresses (address 1 and address 2), and thecustomer may select one or the other (e.g., via radio buttons as shownin this example) as the tote pickup day for the specified item or itemsto be returned.

Tote return page 1150 may include an area 1170 via which a customer mayspecify one or more items to be returned to the network enterprise onthe specified tote pickup day from the specified address. This area 1170may, for example, include a user interface element or elements via whichthe user may specify the item(s) to be returned, a quantity of theitem(s) to be returned, and a reason for return. These user interfaceelements may include popup menus, text entry boxes, or other suitableuser interface elements, or a combination thereof.

Tote return page 1150 may also include an area 1190 in which thecustomer's current (virtual) tote return items for the specified pickupday and delivery address, if any, may be displayed. This example showsthat this customer has one item in their virtual return tote pendingpickup on the selected upcoming tote pickup day (day 2, in thisexample). Each item shown may include item information such as a briefitem description and quantity. In some embodiments, area 1190 mayinclude, for each item, a UI element (e.g., a link to another web page,shown as “Change” in this example) via which the customer may choose tochange an item, or the quantity of an item, in a return tote. Note thatchanging may include removing the item from the return tote, moving thereturn item to a different tote, or changing the quantity of the returnitem. For example, in some embodiments, selecting the “change” UIelement may open a web page via which the customer may manage thecurrent content of one or more virtual totes including return totes; anexample of such a web page is shown as web page 1100 in FIG. 15.

Tote return page 1150 may also include a return information area 1180that may display summary information for the items in the return tote asthey are currently displayed in area 1190, such as the refund amount forthe item(s), shipping charges (0, in this example) to be refunded, totalpre-tax refund amount for the items, any relevant taxes to be refunded,and a total refund amount, and possibly other relevant information aboutthe tote return.

Tote return page 1150 may also include a UI element 1192, such as abutton, via which the customer may place the specified item in thespecified return tote. Selecting UI element 1192 may cause the networkenterprise logic to enter the specified item in the system for pickup bytote on the indicated tote pickup day from the indicated customeraddress. Selecting this UI element 1192 may cause the network enterpriselogic to perform other actions, such as notifying the customer, by emailor some other communications channel, to confirm that the item will bepicked up by tote on the scheduled tote pickup day from the respectivecustomer address.

While not shown, tote return page 1150 may also include one or more userinterface elements whereby a customer may specify how any funds due tothe customer are to be provided to the customer; for example, payment bycheck, by crediting an account such as a credit card account or anaccount with the network enterprise, or by adding the amount to a “storecredit” account with the network enterprise via which the customer canpay, at least in part, for future purchases.

In some embodiments, other items than items being returned to thenetwork enterprise by a customer may be delivered from a customer, orfrom a seller or merchant, to the network enterprise, or to otherentities, via return totes and the tote delivery service. A web pagesimilar to tote return page 1150 may be provided to facilitate thedelivery of such items or inventory to the network enterprise via returntotes.

Managing Multiple Shipping Options

A network site may provide the tote delivery service as one shippingoption among two or more shipping options. For example, the network sitemay provide a less expensive two-day shipping option, and a moreexpensive one-day (overnight) shipping option. In addition, a networksite may provide, as an alternative to a virtual tote into which itemsmay be placed for tote delivery, a “shopping cart” into which a customermay place items to be ordered later via a checkout process.

In some embodiments, the network site user interface may provide UIelements that allow a customer to move items between shipping optionsand/or between a virtual tote and a shopping cart. For example, a totemanagement page 1100 may, in addition to virtual totes 1112, display avirtual “shopping cart” UI element, which may contain one or more items.A shopping cart may be defined as a virtual location that holds itemsthat have been or are being ordered by the customer via some othershipping option or options than the tote delivery shipping option. Itemsin a shopping cart are generally processed through a “checkout” processin which the customer confirms or completes the shopping cart order(s).The user interface may allow the customer to, for example, drag an itemfrom a virtual tote 1112 into the shopping cart, or vice versa. Asanother example, a tote management page 1100 may include one or more UIelements that represent one or more other shipping options, such asone-day and two-day shipping options. The user interface may allow thecustomer to, for example, drag an item from a virtual tote 1112 into theUI element corresponding to a particular shipping option, and viceversa.

In some embodiments, one or more user interface elements that providethe tote delivery service shipping option may be displayed on one ormore web pages displayed during the shopping cart checkout process, forexample on an order completion page displayed during the shopping cartcheckout process. Selecting the tote delivery service shipping optionfrom a web page of the shopping cart checkout process may result in oneor more item(s) in the virtual shopping cart being moved into a virtualtote order.

As an example of an application of this ability to move items betweenshipping options, a customer's tote delivery day to a given address maybe Friday. On Monday, the customer may decide that he or she needs anitem, currently in the virtual tote scheduled for delivery on the comingFriday, sooner than expected. The customer may go to the tote managementpage 1100 and move the item from the tote into some other shippingoption, or into the shopping cart, so that the item is shipped via astandard shipping method rather than via the tote delivery service. Asanother example, a customer may decide that he or she does not need anitem scheduled for one-day delivery that soon, and so may move the itemfrom the one-day delivery option into a virtual tote scheduled fordelivery later in the week or next week, thus saving shipping costs.

Tote Delivery of Pre-Ordered and Back-Ordered Items

A network enterprise may allow customers to pre-order items. Forexample, books, DVDs, electronic games, and similar items may bescheduled for release on dates that may be months in the future. Thenetwork site may allow a customer to pre-order such an item via the userinterface so that the customer is allocated and shipped the item whenthe item is finally released. In some embodiments, the user interfacemay allow the customer to select tote delivery via the tote deliveryservice as the shipping option for the pre-ordered item. For example, ona web page on which the customer pre-orders the item (which may besimilar to an item detail page such as those shown in FIGS. 8, 13, and14), the web page may include a “schedule for tote delivery” UI elementvia which the user may place the pre-ordered item in a virtual tote fordelivery on a future tote delivery day that is on or after the scheduledrelease date of the item.

Similarly, a network enterprise may allow customers to back-order items.For example, a given item may be out of stock, but a shipment of theitem may be expected to be received days or weeks in the future. Thenetwork site may allow a customer to back-order such an item via theuser interface so that the customer is allocated and shipped the itemafter the item is received. In some embodiments, the user interface mayallow the customer to select tote delivery via the tote delivery serviceas the shipping option for the back-ordered item. For example, on a webpage on which the customer back-orders the item (which may be similar toan item detail page such as those shown in FIGS. 8, 13, and 14), the webpage may include a “schedule for tote delivery” UI element via which theuser may place the back-ordered item in a virtual tote for delivery on afuture tote delivery day that is on or after the expected receiving dateof the item.

Pre-ordered and back-ordered items may be viewed by the customer invirtual totes to be delivered on future tote delivery days, for exampleon a tote management page 1100 as illustrated in FIG. 15. This enablesthe customer to keep track of pre-ordered and back-ordered items, as thecustomer can browse through future scheduled tote deliveries to viewwhat items the customer has pending to be delivered and when the itemsare scheduled to be delivered via the tote delivery service.

Scheduling Regular Tote Deliveries

For at least some items, for example consumables such as pet food, paperproducts, and so on, a customer may desire to have some quantity of theitems (e.g., a bag of dog food, five rolls of paper towels, one box ofprinter paper, etc.) delivered periodically (e.g., once a week,bi-monthly, once a month, or once every three months) to a givencustomer address. The network site may thus allow a customer to scheduleautomatic order fulfillment and tote delivery on periodic tote days ofat least some items via the user interface so that a specified quantityof an item is delivered to a specified customer address. In someembodiments, an item detail page (which may be similar to an item detailpage such as those shown in FIGS. 8, 13, and 14) may provide one or moreUI elements via which the customer may specify a number of units of theitem to be automatically ordered and delivered by tote to a specifiedaddress at a specified interval. For example, a customer may specifythat a bag of dog food is to be delivered to the customer's home addressby tote once every two weeks. As another example, a customer may specifythat four packages of printer paper are to be delivered to thecustomer's business address by tote once a month. As another example, acustomer may specify that one or more units of an item is to bedelivered to the customer's home address by tote each week. Prior to thescheduled periodic tote delivery day, the tote delivery service back endautomatically picks the specified quantity of the item and transfers theitem(s) to the appropriate sortation node; the item is then placed intothe customer's tote for delivery on the tote delivery day.

In at least some embodiments, items that are scheduled for regular,automatic tote delivery may be viewed by the customer in virtual totesto be delivered on future tote delivery days, for example on a totemanagement page 1100 as illustrated in FIG. 15. This enables thecustomer to view what items the customer has scheduled to beautomatically delivered by tote and when the items are scheduled to bedelivered via the tote delivery service. In addition, the totemanagement page may provide one or more methods via which the customercan schedule items or entire tote orders for regular tote delivery,cancel scheduled tote deliveries, or otherwise modify tote deliveries.

Recommendations and Reminders

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service may providerecommendations and reminders to the customer via the user interface tothe network site and/or via alternative communications channels such asemail and text messaging. To generate recommendations and/or reminders,network enterprise logic may examine information stored in enterprisedata, including but not limited to tote delivery data. The tote deliverydata includes customer tote ordering history (records of previous toteorders) as well as information on upcoming customer tote orders. Otherinformation stored in enterprise data, such as product data andinventory data, may also be examined in generating recommendationsand/or reminders. In some embodiments, other information than thatstored in enterprise data may be obtained and analyzed to generaterecommendations and/or reminders. For example, data indicating consumerpurchasing patterns or other consumer metrics, statistics, anddemographics may be obtained from one or more other external sources,such as other consumer goods enterprises and consumer research entities,and used in generating recommendations for customers.

As an example of a recommendation, the network enterprise logic maydetect that a customer orders some item periodically, for example once amonth or every three months, via a conventional ordering method. Thenetwork enterprise logic may generate and provide a recommendation tothe customer stating something like “You appear to order N units of itemX once a month. Would you like to schedule N units of item X to bedelivered in a reusable tote to your doorstep on the first Friday ofevery month to save you time and shipping costs?” Alternatively, thenetwork enterprise logic may generate and provide a recommendation tothe customer stating something like “You may be running low on item X.Would you like to add item X to your tote scheduled to be delivered thisSaturday?”

As another example of a recommendation, the network enterprise logic mayexamine the contents of a given customer tote and, based on thatexamination, determine one or more other items that are related to theitems in the tote. The network enterprise logic may generate and providea recommendation to the customer stating something like “These items (A,B, and C) are in your tote scheduled for delivery this Friday. Do youwant to also include this item D in the tote?”

As another example of a recommendation, the network enterprise logic mayexamine consumer information obtained from network enterprise dataand/or from one or more external sources to determine a purchasingtrend, for example that a product X is popular in a particularcustomer's area, age group, or other demographic. The network enterpriselogic may generate and provide a recommendation to the customeradvertising product X and asking if the customer wants to add thisproduct to an upcoming tote, or schedule the product for scheduleddelivery by tote.

In addition to recommendations, the customer may also be provided withreminders of what items the customer has scheduled for tote delivery onupcoming tote delivery days. The reminders may, for example, let thecustomer know which tote days the customer should expect a tote to beplaced on their doorstep, what the cutoff day is for placing items into(or removing items from) a given tote, and what will be delivered in thetotes on those tote days. For example, a reminder might state somethinglike “Item Y is scheduled to be delivered in a reusable tote to yourdoorstep this coming Wednesday,” or “M units of item Z are scheduled tobe delivered in a reusable tote to your doorstep on Thursday, June 17.”Another example of a reminder may be something like “Your tote deliveryon Thursday, June 17, will include one unit of item Y and 3 units ofitem Z. If you wish to make changes to this tote delivery, please do sobefore 6 am on Tuesday, June 15.” A reminder message may also mentionthat the customer may go to their tote management page to add or removeitems from a given tote, or to change the quantities of the items to bedelivered.

Via the recommendations and reminders, customers may, for example, beprompted to wait for a scheduled delivery of an item via tote, or add anitem to a tote, rather than making a trip to the store to pick up theitem. As another example, customers may be prompted to consolidateshopping cart orders (i.e., items ordered according to other shippingoptions than tote delivery) into upcoming tote orders. For example, acustomer may have a tote order scheduled to be delivered on Wednesday.On Tuesday, the customer may order an item Z according to a two-dayshipping option. A recommendation may be generated and sent to thecustomer saying something like “You have ordered item X for delivery byFedEx on Thursday. Would you like to consolidate this item into yourtote order for tomorrow?”

Returning items in Totes

At least some embodiments of the tote delivery service may allow acustomer to return previously delivered items in totes. In at least someembodiments, a customer may place one or more items to be returned tothe network enterprise in a tote to be returned. The user interface mayprovide one or more user interface elements whereby the customer caninform the network enterprise that the item(s) are being returned viatote on a tote delivery (and pickup) day. For example, in someembodiments, the user interface may provide a tote return page, forexample tote return page 1150 illustrated in FIG. 16, that may bereached by selecting a “Return an item by tote” user interface elementon one or more other web pages. As another example, in some embodiments,an item detail page, such as such as item detail page 400 shown in FIG.8, item detail page 900 shown in FIG. 13, or item detail page 1000 shownin FIG. 14, or other pages such as tote order confirmation page 800shown in FIG. 12, may include a “return item by tote” user interfaceelement that, when selected, records that the customer is going toreturn at least one unit of the respective item in a specified tote. Asanother example, in some embodiments, a tote management page, such astote management page 1100, may include a “return item by tote” userinterface element. In some embodiments, a tote management page, such astote management page 1100, may display, in addition to totes 1112 to bedelivered on tote delivery days, a “return tote” to be picked up on thenext tote delivery day, and may also include at least one user interfaceelement that allows a customer to place item(s) to be returned into thereturn tote or remove item(s) from a return tote, or to otherwisespecify that an item is to be returned via a return tote.

In addition to allowing a customer to return individual items, in atleast some embodiments, the user interface may provide one or more userinterface elements that allow a customer to return entire tote orders.For example, in some embodiments, a tote management page, such as totemanagement page 1100, may include a “return tote” user interface elementor elements that allow a customer to select entire tote orders andspecify that the tote orders are to be returned by tote.

Using this ability to easily return items to the network enterprise inthe reusable totes, at least some embodiments may enable “orderbracketing” where the customer can order, for example, three pairs ofthe same shoe in different sizes, or three of the same item in differentcolors, and return the items (e.g., the pairs of shoes that don't fit,or the items that aren't the desired color) that the customer decidesnot to keep.

In some embodiments, only items that were previously delivered via thetote delivery service may be returned via the tote delivery service.However, in some embodiments, items that are shipped according to othershipping methods may also be returned to the network enterprise via thetote delivery service.

While the above describes returning items that were delivered accordingto the tote delivery service in return totes, note that, in at leastsome embodiments, at least some items delivered to customers via thetote delivery service may be returned by other return methods than inreturn totes.

Inventory Ingestion via Return Totes

In some embodiments, other items than items being returned to thenetwork enterprise may be delivered from a customer, or from a seller ormerchant, to the network enterprise, or to other entities, via returntotes and the tote delivery service. For example, in variousimplementations, rentals, such as video game rentals, DVD/Blu-Ray Discrentals, tool rentals, and so on, may be delivered to the customer intotes (or by some other delivery method) and returned to the networkenterprise (or to a rental enterprise) via returned totes and the totedelivery service.

As another example, an exchange method may be provided via the totedelivery service whereby a customer may return a damaged item or a wrongitem for exchange. In some embodiments, the user interface may provideone or more user interface elements whereby the customer may inform thenetwork enterprise that the customer has received a damaged item, or thewrong item, that needs to be replaced. Alternatively, othercommunications channels may be used to inform the network enterprisethat an item needs to be exchanged. A replacement item may be deliveredto the customer, either by tote delivery or by a conventional shippingmethod, and the damaged or wrong item may be placed into a return totefor delivery to the network enterprise. The item may be placed into thetote for pickup either prior to, on the same day as, or subsequent tothe day that the replacement item is delivered to the customer.

In various embodiments, items including, but not limited to, items forrepair, items being sent to the network enterprise for credit or resale,and other types of items may be delivered from a customer to the networkenterprise, or to some other entity, via return totes and the totedelivery service.

In some embodiments, return totes may be used to deliver inventory fromother entities, such as merchants or sellers, to the network enterprise.For example, a merchant or seller may provide one or more differentitems to the network enterprise that may be placed into the networkenterprise's inventory, in some cases for sale via the network site. Thetote delivery service may be provided to an address of the merchant orseller. The merchant or seller may place items to be delivered to thenetwork enterprise into a return tote that is picked up and delivered toa sortation node on a tote delivery run. At the sortation node, theitems may be processed into inventory, or may be transferred to someother facility or facilities, such as a fulfillment center, forprocessing. In some embodiments, items received from a merchant orseller at a sortation node may be stored at the sortation node forfulfilling tote orders.

In some embodiments, the tote delivery service may be provided tocustomers of other enterprises, such as other network enterprises thanthe network enterprise that provides the tote delivery service. Asanother example of a use for the return totes, the other enterprise maydeliver ordered items to a sortation node via return totes. The otherenterprise's items may then be sorted into outgoing totes to fulfilltheir customers' tote orders. Note that, in some embodiments, the otherenterprise's items may be placed into totes along with items from thenetwork enterprise that provides the tote delivery service.

Back End Operations—Tote Order Fulfillment and Tote Order Delivery

In back end operations, tote delivery service logic of enterprise logicmay retrieve and process tote delivery data to generate bulk transferdata. In some embodiments, this retrieving and processing may beperformed subsequent to the cutoff time for a given tote delivery day.For example, the cutoff time for Friday tote delivery may be Tuesdaynight, so the tote delivery data may be retrieved and processed at sometime Wednesday morning. In some embodiments, at least some retrievingand processing of tote delivery data for a given tote delivery day maybe performed prior to the cutoff time for the tote delivery day. Thebulk transfer data may be provided to one or more fulfillment centers ofthe network enterprise's order fulfillment network as bulk transferorders. In at least some embodiments, a bulk transfer order directs afulfillment center to bulk-transfer items for delivery on a specifictote delivery day to at least one of one or more tote delivery servicesortation nodes. In some embodiments, a bulk transfer order may direct afulfillment center to bulk-transfer items for delivery on two or moretote delivery days to a sortation node.

While the following generally describes a fulfillment center processinga bulk transfer order to generate a bulk transfer to a particularsortation node for a particular tote delivery day, in someimplementations, a fulfillment center may process bulk transfer ordersfor a particular sortation node for two or more delivery days togenerate one bulk transfer that includes at least some of the itemsrequired for the two or more delivery days. For example, a fulfillmentcenter may receive bulk transfer orders for Thursday and Friday totedelivery days at a particular sortation node. The bulk transfer ordersmay be picked and consolidated into one bulk transfer to the sortationnode.

FIG. 17 illustrates the physical layout and operations of an examplefulfillment center when fulfilling a bulk transfer order, according tosome embodiments. Note that FIG. 17 and the description thereof aregiven by way of example, and are not intended to be limiting. A controlsystem 1250 for fulfillment center 350 may receive bulk transfer data338, for example a bulk transfer order, from a network enterprise systemthat implements enterprise logic, e.g. enterprise logic 330 as shown inFIG. 5. One or more agents 1242 may each pick items from inventory 1230to fulfill portions or all of the bulk transfer order 338. In someembodiments, agents 1242 may receive pick instructions from controlsystem 1250 on a device such as an RF-connected wireless terminal orhandheld scanner, to go to locations in inventory 1230 to pick a list ofitems for the bulk transfer order 338 from those locations. This mayresult in a stream and/or batches of picked items for the bulk transferorder, which may then be delivered to at least one station 1260, forexample a packing station, in the fulfillment center 350 for processingprior to shipping 1270. A stream may be a continuous or nearlycontinuous flow of picked items arriving at a station, while groups ofitems arriving periodically or aperiodically at a station may bereferred to as batches.

The stream or batches of incoming picked items for the bulk transfer maybe processed at the station 1260. In some embodiments, a tote deliveryservice sortation node may be located within a fulfillment center suchas fulfillment center 350; in these embodiments, the station 1260 thatthe items picked for a bulk transfer order 338 may be a tote deliveryservice sortation node, for example as illustrated in FIG. 18, and thusthe items for the bulk transfer order may be sorted into physical totesfor delivery according to tote delivery service sortation nodeprocessing, for example as described in relation to FIG. 18. Referringto FIG. 17, if the bulk transfer order is for a tote delivery servicesortation node that is not in the fulfillment center 350, e.g. that isin another fulfillment center or in a stand-alone sortation nodelocation, the picked items for the bulk transfer may be packed or loadedinto one or more bulk transfer containers. Bulk transfer containers maybe relatively large receptacles, e.g., shipping boxes or bins, that canbe loaded onto trucks, large metal shipping containers, or otherappropriate types of containers. Once all of the items for a bulktransfer order are loaded, the bulk transfer container(s) may be shippedto the corresponding tote delivery service sortation node as an outgoingbulk transfer 352.

A fulfillment center 350 may also include a receiving 1280 station forreceiving new inventory 1290 from various vendors, merchants, or othersources. The received inventory 1290 may then be placed into stockstorage. A receiving 1280 station may also receive and process returned,purchased, or rented items 1292 from customers. At least some of thesereturned items 1292 are typically returned to inventory 1230. If thefulfillment center includes a tote delivery service sortation node,receiving 1280 may also receive bulk transfers 352 from otherfulfillment centers and returned totes from tote delivery runs, some ofwhich may include returned items which may be pulled from the returnedtotes and processed by receiving 1280 personnel, or alternatively bypersonnel at the tote delivery service sortation node or at some otherstation 1260. In some embodiments, processing a returned item mayinclude scanning the item and the tote it is pulled from so that therespective customer's account may be credited. Processing a returneditem may also include processing the item back into inventory of thenetwork enterprise or processing the item for return to a productprovider for the network enterprise such as a vendor, merchant, ormanufacturer. In some embodiments, rather than being put into inventory1230, some items received at receiving 1280 station may be transferreddirectly to a station 1260 for order fulfillment, for example forprocessing according to the tote delivery service processing asdescribed herein.

Note that the various operations and stations of a fulfillment center350 may be located in one building or facility, or alternatively may bespread or subdivided across two or more buildings or facilities.

The tote delivery service logic of enterprise logic may also processtote delivery data to generate zone delivery data. The zone deliverydata may be provided to one or more tote delivery service sortationnodes. A sortation node may be a node in the network enterprise's orderfulfillment network that is owned and operated by the networkenterprise. Alternatively, a sortation node may be owned and/or operatedby another entity, such as a local carrier or delivery company that ownsand/or operates the tote delivery vehicles. In at least someembodiments, the zone delivery data directs the tote delivery servicesortation nodes in sorting the items received in one or more bulktransfers 352 into reusable totes for delivery to specific customeraddresses in specific delivery zones on respective zone tote deliverydays.

FIG. 18 illustrates operations of an example tote delivery servicesortation node according to some embodiments. A tote delivery servicesortation node 360 may provide the tote delivery service to one or moredelivery zones. For simplicity, FIG. 18 shows only one delivery zone(delivery zone 370A). In some embodiments, the delivery zones may bedetermined by zip code. In other embodiments, other geographicinformation, or other types of information, may be used to determinedelivery zones. Generally, a sortation node 360 will deliver to multiplezones, with different ones of the zones scheduled for delivery ondifferent days of the week. Note that, in some implementations, the totedelivery service may be provided every day of the week, and in otherimplementations the tote delivery service may not be provided on somedays (e.g., Monday through Saturday or Monday through Friday). Asortation node 360 may, but does not necessarily, deliver to more thanone zone on a given day. In some embodiments, for at least some zones, arespective sortation node 360 may deliver to at least some customers inthe zone on two or more days a week. Generally, only one sortation node360 serves each tote delivery zone; however, in some implementations,two or more sortation nodes 360 may serve the same zone.

Sortation node 360 may include a receiving 1380 station that receivesbulk transfers 352 of items for one or more zone delivery runs from oneor more fulfillment centers 350. In some embodiments, in addition tobulk transfers from fulfillment centers 350, the sortation node mayreceive bulk transfers or other shipments directly from one or moreother sources, such as vendors, manufacturers, and merchants, thatinclude items for one or more zone delivery runs. A control system 1350for sortation node 360 may receive zone delivery data 340 from a networkenterprise system that implements enterprise logic, e.g. enterpriselogic 330 as shown in FIG. 5. In some implementations, sortation node360 may include or be associated with a local inventory of items. Forexample, in some embodiments, sortation node 360 may be located within afulfillment center 350. Thus, the control system 1350 may also receiveinformation directing the sortation node 360 (or the fulfillment center350 that includes the sortation node 360) to pick at least some itemsfor a zone delivery run from the local inventory.

The received bulk transfer 352 items, and the locally picked items 1310if any, may be delivered in streams or batches to one or more sortingstations 1360 of the sorting node 360. At the sorting stations 1360, thereceived items may be manually and/or automatically sorted into customertotes. For example, in some embodiments, sorting station personnel,and/or an automated sorting device, may electronically scan each itemand place the item into an appropriate customer tote, under direction ofcontrol system 1350 and according to the received zone delivery data340. In some embodiments, under direction of control system 1350 andaccording to the received zone delivery data 340, items ordered by twoor more customers that share the same tote delivery address may beconsolidated into a single tote order to be delivered to the sharedaddress. Once the appropriate items are sorted into the respectivecustomer totes, the totes may be transferred to a shipping 1370 stationand loaded onto one or more delivery vehicles for the delivery run. Insome embodiments, the totes may be loaded onto rolling racks, and theracks may be loaded onto the delivery vehicles.

In some embodiments, each customer tote may include a tote deliveryindicator that may identify at least a delivery address for theparticular tote to the sorting station personnel, automated sortingequipment, and the delivery personnel. An example tote 250 with anexample tote delivery indicator 252 is illustrated in FIG. 4A. The totedelivery indicator may, for example, be a printed label that ispermanently affixed to the tote, or a removable printed label. In someembodiments, the tote delivery indicator may be a tag that may beattached to and removed from a tote, for example the tag may be attachedto a handle of a tote. In some embodiments, the tote delivery indicatormay be a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, or other type ofelectronic tag, that may be electronically scanned, e.g. using ahand-held scanner, to identify at least the delivery address for thetote. In some embodiments, an electronic tag may be programmable at thesortation node 360 so that the delivery address (or other information)indicated by the tag on a given tote may be changed if and whennecessary. In some embodiments, the tote delivery indicator may includeor may be a bar code that may be programmed to indicate the particulartote delivery and that may be scanned by tote delivery personnel and/orsortation node personnel or automated sorting devices.

As an example of a tote delivery indicator, in some embodiments, thetote delivery indicator may be a tag that can be attached to and removedfrom a tote. The tag may include a bar code that corresponds to the toteorder. The enterprise logic may associate the particular bar code on agiven tag with the particular tote order. The tag may be attached to therespective tote and delivered to the customer delivery address. Thecustomer may return the tote with the tag attached, or remove the tag ifthey want to keep the tote. In addition, if the customer wants to returnone or more items in the tote order, the customer may attach the tag toa return tote or include the tag in the return tote along with theitem(s). At the sortation node, the bar code can then be scanned tocorrelate the returned items with the original tote order.

In some embodiments, the totes may be placed into receptacles as shownin FIG. 4B, such as open-top bins, and the receptacles, including thetotes, may then be loaded into the delivery vehicles. In someembodiments, the receptacles may already be in the delivery vehicles,and the totes may be placed into the receptacles inside the deliveryvehicles. In some embodiments, one or more totes may be placed into eachreceptacle. In some embodiments, the receptacles into which the totesare placed may each include a tote delivery indicator 262 as shown inFIG. 4B that may be used by tote delivery personnel to determine thedelivery address for the tote(s) contained therein. In at least theseembodiments, the totes themselves may not include a tote deliveryindicator.

Referring to FIG. 18, on a delivery run to tote delivery zone 370A, thedelivery personnel on the delivery vehicle(s) drop each tote off at arespective customer address. Generally, only one tote will be dropped ata given customer address; however, in some cases, more than one tote maybe required to deliver all the items in a tote order to be delivered ona given delivery day to a given customer address. The delivery personnelmay also pick up one or more previously delivered totes from at leastsome customer addresses. A picked-up tote may be empty, or may includeone or more previously delivered items that the respective customer isreturning to the network enterprise. The delivery vehicles may thenreturn the picked-up totes to the sortation node 360. At the sortationnode 360, any returned items in the returned totes may be pulled fromthe totes and processed. In some embodiments, processing a returned itemmay include scanning the item and the tote it is pulled from so that therespective customer's account may be credited. Processing a returneditem may also include processing the item back into inventory of thenetwork enterprise or processing the item for return to a productprovider for the network enterprise such as a vendor, merchant, ormanufacturer.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of back end operations for a tote deliveryservice, according to at least some embodiments. This flowchart assumes,by way of example, that a city has a single sortation node. Note that acity or other geographic region may have more than one sortation node.Furthermore, this flowchart represents back end operations for onedelivery day; the elements of the flowchart may be repeated for eachdelivery day of a given sortation node for a geographic region such ascity (e.g., Monday through Friday, or Monday through Saturday, or everyday of the week).

As indicated at 1400, the items scheduled for tote delivery in a givencity on a given delivery day are bulk-picked in one or more fulfillmentcenters. In some embodiments, tote delivery data may be received andprocessed subsequent to the cutoff time for the given delivery day togenerate bulk transfer orders and zone delivery data. In someembodiments, at least some retrieving and processing of tote deliverydata for a given tote delivery day may be performed prior to the cutofftime for the tote delivery day. The bulk transfer orders are provided tothe one or more fulfillment centers, and direct each fulfillment centerto bulk-transfer items for delivery on the delivery day to the totedelivery service sortation node for the city. As indicated at 1402, thebulk-picked items are bulk transferred to the tote delivery servicesortation node for the city. A bulk transfer may be shipped from afulfillment center one, two or more days before the delivery day, or insome cases on the delivery day, and may be received at the sortationnode on the day of, or before, the delivery day. At the sortation node,the bulk-picked items are rebinned into reusable customer totes, asindicated at 1404. In some embodiments, the zone delivery data isprovided to the tote delivery service sortation node for the city, anddirects the tote delivery service sortation node in sorting the itemsreceived in the bulk transfers into the reusable totes for delivery tospecific customer addresses. The customer totes are loaded onto one ormore delivery vehicle(s) at the sortation node, as indicated at 1406.Generally, the rebinning into the totes and loading of the totes ontothe delivery vehicle(s) may be performed on the delivery day, but insome implementations may be performed prior to the delivery day. Asindicated at 1408, on the delivery day, the customer totes are deliveredto respective customer addresses. As indicated at 1410, empty totes andtotes including returned items may be retrieved by the deliverypersonnel and returned to the sortation node.

The above method describes the bulk picking and consolidated, bulkshipping of items for multiple customers' tote orders from fulfillmentcenters to sortation nodes for rebinning and delivery according to thetote delivery service. However, in some embodiments, at least somecustomer tote orders may be handled separately. That is, item(s) for acustomer's tote order may be picked at a fulfillment center andtransferred as a single, independent order shipment to a sortation nodefor placement into the customer's physical tote.

Illustrative System

In at least some embodiments, a server that implements a portion or allof network enterprise logic, including but not limited to tote deliveryservice logic for implementing embodiments of a tote delivery service,may include a general-purpose computer system that includes or isconfigured to access one or more computer-accessible media, such ascomputer system 2000 illustrated in FIG. 20. In the illustratedembodiment, computer system 2000 includes one or more processors 2010coupled to a system memory 2020 via an input/output (I/O) interface2030. Computer system 2000 further includes a network interface 2040coupled to I/O interface 2030.

In various embodiments, computer system 2000 may be a uniprocessorsystem including one processor 2010, or a multiprocessor systemincluding several processors 2010 (e.g., two, four, eight, or anothersuitable number). Processors 2010 may be any suitable processors capableof executing instructions. For example, in various embodiments,processors 2010 may be general-purpose or embedded processorsimplementing any of a variety of instruction set architectures (ISAs),such as the x86, PowerPC, SPARC, or MIPS ISAs, or any other suitableISA. In multiprocessor systems, each of processors 2010 may commonly,but not necessarily, implement the same ISA.

System memory 2020 may be configured to store instructions and dataaccessible by processor(s) 2010. In various embodiments, system memory2020 may be implemented using any suitable memory technology, such asstatic random access memory (SRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM),nonvolatile/Flash-type memory, or any other type of memory. In theillustrated embodiment, program instructions and data implementing oneor more desired functions, such as those methods and techniquesdescribed above for implementing embodiments of a tote delivery service,are shown stored within system memory 2020 as code 2025.

In one embodiment, I/O interface 2030 may be configured to coordinateI/O traffic between processor(s) 2010, system memory 2020, and anyperipheral devices in the device, including network interface 2040 orother peripheral interfaces. In some embodiments, I/O interface 2030 mayperform any necessary protocol, timing or other data transformations toconvert data signals from one component (e.g., system memory 2020) intoa format suitable for use by another component (e.g., processor 2010).In some embodiments, I/O interface 2030 may include support for devicesattached through various types of peripheral buses, such as a variant ofthe Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus standard or theUniversal Serial Bus (USB) standard, for example. In some embodiments,the function of I/O interface 2030 may be split into two or moreseparate components, such as a north bridge and a south bridge, forexample. Also, in some embodiments some or all of the functionality ofI/O interface 2030, such as an interface to system memory 2020, may beincorporated directly into processor(s) 2010.

Network interface 2040 may be configured to allow data to be exchangedbetween computer system 2000 and other devices 2060 attached to anetwork or networks 2050, such as other computer systems or devices asillustrated in FIGS. 5, 17 and 18, for example. In various embodiments,network interface 2040 may support communication via any suitable wiredor wireless general data networks, such as types of Ethernet network,for example. Additionally, network interface 2040 may supportcommunication via telecommunications/telephony networks such as analogvoice networks or digital fiber communications networks, via storagearea networks such as Fibre Channel SANs, or via any other suitable typeof network and/or protocol.

In some embodiments, system memory 2020 may be one embodiment of acomputer-accessible medium configured to store program instructions anddata as described above for FIGS. 3 through 19 for implementingembodiments of a tote delivery service. However, in other embodiments,program instructions and/or data may be received, sent or stored upondifferent types of computer-accessible media. Generally speaking, acomputer-accessible medium may include storage media or memory mediasuch as magnetic or optical media, e.g., disk or DVD/CD coupled tocomputer system 2000 via I/O interface 2030. A computer-accessiblemedium may also include any volatile or non-volatile media such as RAM(e.g. SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, RDRAM, SRAM, etc.), ROM, etc, that may beincluded in some embodiments of computer system 2000 as system memory2020 or another type of memory. Further, a computer-accessible mediummay include transmission media or signals such as electrical,electromagnetic, or digital signals, conveyed via a communication mediumsuch as a network and/or a wireless link, such as may be implemented vianetwork interface 2040.

Conclusion

Various embodiments may further include receiving, sending or storinginstructions and/or data implemented in accordance with the foregoingdescription upon a computer-accessible medium. Generally speaking, acomputer-accessible medium may include storage media or memory mediasuch as magnetic or optical media, e.g., disk or DVD/CD-ROM, volatile ornon-volatile media such as RAM (e.g. SDRAM, DDR, RDRAM, SRAM, etc.),ROM, etc, as well as transmission media or signals such as electrical,electromagnetic, or digital signals, conveyed via a communication mediumsuch as network and/or a wireless link.

The various methods as illustrated in the Figures and described hereinrepresent example embodiments of methods. The methods may be implementedin software, hardware, or a combination thereof The order of method maybe changed, and various elements may be added, reordered, combined,omitted, modified, etc.

Various modifications and changes may be made as would be obvious to aperson skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. It isintended to embrace all such modifications and changes and, accordingly,the above description to be regarded in an illustrative rather than arestrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: enterprise logic,implemented on one or more computer devices, receiving informationindicating a plurality of items to be delivered to at least one deliveryaddress according to a tote delivery service, wherein the information isreceived via a network site on which the plurality of items are offered,wherein the tote delivery service delivers items to a plurality ofdelivery addresses in totes on scheduled tote delivery days, wherein thetotes are reusable totes configured to be delivered to the deliveryaddresses on tote delivery days and picked up from the deliveryaddresses on subsequent tote delivery days; the enterprise logicdirecting the placement of at least one of the plurality of items intoeach of one or more totes at a tote delivery service facility to bedelivered to the at least one delivery address on a scheduled totedelivery day; the enterprise logic directing the delivery of the one ormore totes from the tote delivery service facility to the at least onedelivery address on the scheduled tote delivery day; the enterpriselogic receiving via a returns interface of said network site anindication of at least one item to be returned in a previously deliveredtote on a scheduled tote delivery day, wherein the returns interfaceprovides at least one user interface element via which customersindicate to the enterprise logic that particular items are to be placedin totes to be returned to the tote delivery service facility onparticular scheduled delivery days; and during said delivery, picking upfrom one or more delivery addresses one or more totes delivered on aprevious tote delivery day for return to the tote delivery servicefacility; wherein at least one of the totes returned to the totedelivery service facility contains the at least one item to be deliveredto one or more entities.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, furthercomprising: removing one or more items from the returned totes; and theenterprise logic directing delivery of the removed items to the one ormore entities.
 3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the one ormore entities include an enterprise associated with the enterpriselogic, and wherein said delivery of the removed items comprises placingat least one of the items into inventory of the enterprise.
 4. Themethod as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one item placed intoinventory of the enterprise is an item returned to the enterprise by acustomer of the enterprise.
 5. The method as recited in claim 4, whereinthe item returned to the enterprise by a customer of the enterprise isfor exchange, and wherein the method further comprises the enterpriselogic directing the delivery of an exchange item to the customer.
 6. Themethod as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one item placed intoinventory of the enterprise is an item being delivered to the enterprisefrom a product provider for the enterprise.
 7. The method as recited inclaim 2, wherein the one or more entities include a product provider foran enterprise associated with the enterprise logic, and wherein saiddelivery of the removed items comprises returning at least one of theitems to the product provider.
 8. The method as recited in claim 2,wherein the one or more entities include an enterprise associated withthe enterprise logic, and wherein said delivery of the removed itemscomprises transferring at least one of the items from the tote deliveryservice facility to a fulfillment center of the enterprise.
 9. Themethod as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more entities include arental service, and wherein said delivery of the removed items comprisesreturning at least one of the items to the rental service.
 10. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the items returned to the totedelivery service facility in the returned totes include at least someitems that were previously delivered to customers via the tote deliveryservice.
 11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the itemsreturned to the tote delivery service facility in the returned totesinclude at least some items that were previously delivered to customersvia a different delivery method.
 12. A system, comprising: one or moredata storage devices that store data for an enterprise; and one or moreservers that implement enterprise logic executable on the one or moreservers to: implement a network site for an enterprise, wherein aplurality of items are offered on the network site; direct delivery oftote orders via a tote delivery service to customers of the enterprise,wherein the tote delivery service delivers tote orders to the customerson scheduled tote delivery days, wherein each tote delivery includes oneor more totes that include a tote order of one or more items ordered viasaid network site, wherein the totes are reusable totes configured to bedelivered to the delivery addresses on tote delivery days and picked upfrom the delivery addresses on subsequent tote delivery days; receive,via a returns interface of said network site, an indication of at leastone item to be returned in a previously delivered tote on a scheduledtote delivery day, wherein the returns interface provides at least oneuser interface element via which customers indicate to the enterpriselogic that particular items are to be placed in totes to be returned tothe tote delivery service facility on particular scheduled deliverydays; and direct retrieval, from one or more delivery addresses, of oneor more totes delivered on a previous tote delivery day and return ofthe totes to a tote delivery service facility; wherein at least one ofthe totes returned to the tote delivery service facility contains the atleast one item to be delivered to one or more entities.
 13. The systemas recited in claim 12, wherein the enterprise logic is executable onthe one or more servers to direct delivery of items removed from thereturned totes to the one or more entities.
 14. The system as recited inclaim 13, wherein the one or more entities include the enterprise, andwherein said delivery of the removed items comprises placing at leastone of the items into inventory of the enterprise.
 15. The system asrecited in claim 14, wherein at least one item placed into inventory ofthe enterprise is an item returned to the enterprise by a customer ofthe enterprise.
 16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the itemreturned to the enterprise by the customer of the enterprise is forexchange, and wherein the enterprise logic is executable on the one ormore servers to direct the delivery of an exchange item to the customer.17. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one item placedinto inventory of the enterprise is an item being delivered to theenterprise from a product provider for the enterprise.
 18. The system asrecited in claim 13, wherein the one or more entities include a productprovider for the enterprise, and wherein the enterprise logic isexecutable on the one or more servers to direct return of at least oneof the items to the product provider.
 19. The system as recited in claim13, wherein the one or more entities include the enterprise, and whereinthe enterprise logic is executable on the one or more servers to directtransfer of at least one of the items from the tote delivery servicefacility to a fulfillment center of the enterprise.
 20. The system asrecited in claim 13, wherein the one or more entities include a rentalservice, and wherein the enterprise logic is executable on the one ormore servers to direct return of at least one of the items to the rentalservice.
 21. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the itemsreturned to the tote delivery service facility in the returned totesinclude at least some items that were previously delivered to customersvia the tote delivery service.
 22. The system as recited in claim 21,wherein the items returned to the tote delivery service facility in thereturned totes include at least some items that were previouslydelivered to customers via a different delivery method.
 23. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing programinstructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executableto implement: directing delivery of tote orders via a tote deliveryservice from tote delivery service facilities to a plurality of deliveryaddresses, wherein the tote delivery service delivers tote orders to thedelivery addresses on scheduled tote delivery days, wherein each totedelivery includes one or more totes that include a tote order of one ormore items ordered via a network site on which the plurality of itemsare offered, wherein the totes are reusable totes configured to bedelivered to the delivery addresses on tote delivery days and picked upfrom the delivery addresses on subsequent tote delivery days; receivingvia a returns interface of said network site an indication of one ormore items to be returned in at least one previously delivered tote anddelivered to an entity, wherein the returns interface provides at leastone user interface element via which customers indicate to enterpriselogic of the network site that particular items are to be placed intotes to be returned to the tote delivery service facility on particularscheduled delivery days; directing retrieval, from one or more deliveryaddresses, of one or more totes each containing at least one of the oneor more item to be delivered to the entity; directing delivery of theretrieved totes to a tote delivery service facility; and directingdelivery of items removed from the retrieved totes to the entity. 24.The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim23, wherein the entity is a product distributor, and wherein the programinstructions are computer-executable to implement directing placing atleast one of the items into inventory of the product distributor. 25.The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim24, wherein at least one item placed into inventory of the productdistributor is an item returned to the product distributor by a customerof the product distributor.
 26. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium as recited in claim 25, wherein the item returned to theproduct distributor by a customer of the product distributor is forexchange, and wherein the program instructions are computer-executableto implement directing the delivery of an exchange item to the customer.27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited inclaim 24, wherein at least one item placed into inventory of the productdistributor is an item being delivered to the product distributor from aproduct provider.
 28. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium as recited in claim 23, wherein the entity is a product providerfor a product distributor that uses the tote delivery service, andwherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implementdirecting the return of at least one of the items to the productprovider.
 29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium asrecited in claim 23, wherein the entity is a product distributor, andwherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implementdirecting the transfer of at least one of the items from the totedelivery service facility to a fulfillment center of the productdistributor.
 30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium asrecited in claim 23, wherein the entity is a rental service, and whereinthe program instructions are computer-executable to implement directingthe return of at least one of the items to the rental service.
 31. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 23,wherein the items returned to the tote delivery service facility in thereturned totes include at least some items that were previouslydelivered to customers via the tote delivery service.
 32. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 31,wherein the items returned to the tote delivery service facility in thereturned totes include at least some items that were previouslydelivered to customers via a different delivery method.